Developed by Square Enix, the release date move is reminiscent to what happened with Irrational Games’ BioShock Infinite, only different in the sense that the new Tomb Raider will still be involved in this coming June’s E3 expo. BioShock Infinite won’t be participating this year.

With E3 lurking about, one can’t help but wonder what’s going on, given how two top game titles and developers have made a trend out of moving release dates.

Matched with ongoing questions and active discussions (from the part of gamers and consumers) pertaining to the cost and premium price terms of game titles and releases, gamers and fans can’t be blamed if an ongoing betting pool is happening, betting on the odds over which 2012 scheduled-for-release game is going to bump and renege on its release timeframe.

Tomb Raider first came out in 1996, operating on Core Design’s Tomb Raider Engine. It was followed by Tomb Raider II, Tomb Raider III, The Last Revelation, Chronicles and The Angel of Darkness, working on Core Design’s Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider Angel of Darkness engines.

By 2006, Crystal Dynamics, a subsidiary of Square Enix, took active involvement in the release of Tomb Raider Legend, Tomb Raider Anniversary and Tomb Raider Underworld, working on Crystal Dynamic’s Tomb Raider Legend and Tomb Raider Underworld Engine.

The latest Tomb Raider, dubbed Tomb Raider, is set as an “origins story”, featuring a younger and more inexperienced Lara Croft. It was announced to come in versions for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

On the top of its lineup is ROCCAT’s Kone XTD Max Customization Gaming Mouse, an enhanced update in utilizing the brand’s famed ROCCAT Kone[+]. With a DPI rate of 8200, the new ROCCAT Gaming Mouse works with a Pro Aim R3 laser sensor, with the fully-featured support of ROCCAT’s software components. It is scheduled for international release this October, 2012.

Another item to-be featured at Computex and E3 is ROCCAT’s Lua Tri-Button Gaming Mouse. Designed for left and/or right handed gamers, the gaming mouse comes with a fully adjustable 2000 DPI Pro Optic sensor, with enhanced comfort and control benefits for long-term gaming sessions. It is scheduled for release come August, 2012.

The ROCCAT Power-Grid app (beta version) will also be a ROCCAT highlight during the Computex and E3 events, featured for “hands on” use for event delegates, visitors and participants. The app is geared to facilitate the “remote controlling” of games via smartphones to computer systems, a highlight which had taken the attentions of many gamers since its initial announcement releases.

“I’m thrilled about our global fan base. We’re still young, but we’re going full steam ahead internationally. ROCCAT started in Europe in 2007. In 2010 we opened our Asian office, and this year we launched our US business. We are, and will continue to be, dedicated to helping players worldwide enjoy the best possible PC gaming experience. And the future looks awesome.” shares René Korte, CEO and Founder, ROCCAT Studios.

As E3 and Computex dates are nearing, top names in the professional gaming industry are gearing up, set and ready in showing off their latest and most innovative.

ROCCAT, with its featured lineup, is well and prepared to wow!

But as great as the movie was, fans noticed something was missing from it all – there was no game title which came out with it.

If you’re among the many wondering if there was (or wasn’t) an Avengers game released in conjunction with the movie, wonder no more since Marvel and Ubisoft are intent in releasing Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth.

To come out this fall, no mention of the type of game content was hinted by Ubisoft or Marvel, only that the game will come with versions for Wii U and Kinect. In a sense, you can now imagine what type of game it would be.

Also, the game is reported to have no connection with the movie directed by Joss Whedon, but is rather inspired by a pool of Marvel’s most iconic characters, and particular focus and inspiration source taken from the Secret Invasion Story Arc.

The game is announced to feature 20 characters, with Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America and Thor being the most top-billed names.

Last year, THQ was tasked on developing an Avengers game title, one which stood as the Avengers movie-tie-in game. However, the project didn’t push through, leaving Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth being the closest game release related to the Avengers movie.

For now, the motion-controlled Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth’s details are only defined by its motion control aspect.

Promising unprecedented bandwidth features on desktops, the Z77A-GD80 comes with Military Class III components, with the OC Genie II made to boost the performance ratings of hard drives, memory cards, graphics processors and overall CPU performance ratings.

The Z77A-GD80 also features DrMOS II and Active Phase Switching (APS), made to yield to better power consumption, management and overall power saving features.

Equipped with Intel’s Thunderbolt technology, the MSI mobo promises faster data connection, with speeds of up to 10Gbps. Delivering two methods of communication, Thunderbolt technology works via DisplayPorts for enhanced graphics rendering and PCI Express for increasingly fast data transfers.

At the most optimum of configurations, the Z77A-GD80 can easily facilitate fast data transfers, from moving around feature-length HD videos within 30 minutes, to easily archiving a year’s worth of continuous audio recordings within 10 minutes.

With the MSI OC Genie II, overclocking is made more convenient and easy, arming users with a method in efficiently and effectively customizing desktop performance ratings. Customizing a rig’s performance, via MSI’s ClickBIOS II interface won’t leave users lost in translation, with easy navigation and control features.

Reasonably priced, the Z77A-GD80 by MSI is worth the attention of active gamers, whose demands are always geared in having performance enhanced rigs, with enhanced customization features geared to sate personal preferences.

If you’re on the lookout for a new mobo, check out MSI’s Z77A-GD80. It just may be what you’re looking for.

Developed by Irrational Games, the announcement came with another one, informing followers of the game that it won’t be shown during the Gamescom or E3 this year.

“[The release] means a bit more waiting, but more importantly, it means an even better BioShock Infinite,” shared Ken Levine, Creative Director, BioShock Infinite.

“The great can be made greater, and we owe it to both ourselves and to you, our fans, to take this opportunity.” Levine further comments.

BioShock is one of the most relatively recent of acclaimed first person shooter games, developed by Irrational Games (which was once known as 2K Boston). Its first version was released for the Xbox and Windows in 2007, with its second version released in 2010.

Working on a “survival horror” genre, the game is set in an alternate 1960’s timeline, putting players in the role of a crashed plane survivor. Players go through exploring the underwater city known as Rapture, battling against mechanical drones and mutants, along with overcoming challenges and obstacles.

The game title has been well received with positive response from critics and gamers, and is even dubbed to have a “morality-based” premise and storyline, a rarity to be found in games of its class. A mobile version of the game was even released, developed by IG Fun.

With its unique storytelling takes, impressive graphics and high-action gameplay, anticipation over the third BioShock will have to require more wait-time for avid followers.

Gameplay Footage

Compatible with the use of Windows-based machines (Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7) and Mac OX units (Mac OS X version 10.6.6 or later), the Cyborg MMO7 Gaming Mouse was honored during the CES 2012 Innovations Award, indicative of its offered enhanced gameplay prospects for would-be users.

“Leveraging the award winning Cyborg R.A.T. design, the new M.M.O. 7 expands the Cyborg gaming mouse portfolio to meet the needs of the MMO gamer,” shares Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mad Catz Interactive Inc.

As a product, the Cyborg MMO7 is part of Mad Catz’s strategy in developing products for passionate gamers, a commitment which falls in line with the brand’s adherence to showcasing quality professional gaming gear and equipment.

Features-wise, the MMO7 comes with a DPI switch, with a metal under carriage for extra durability and variable performance on different surface types. It also sports a new five directional rocker, which makes the whole “sniper button” magic a breeze.

“Legacy buttons” on the gaming mouse’s top, when matched with the mouse’s thumb-driven input access, leads users to ten toggles at a given point in time. ActionLock buttons for the MMO7’s horizontal scroll wheel calls for added control functionality, with each input yielding to repetitive commands when activated.

In terms of looks, the MMO7 says a lot about being a no-nonsense gaming mouse, one which fits with its combined input controls and features.

If you’re on the lookout for a superior MMO gaming mouse which delivers, the Cyborg MMO7 by Mad Catz may just be for you.

But gaming keyboard conundrums aside, gaming keyboards do promise enhanced gaming performances, with one new option recently making waves since its release.

Meet the CM Strom QuickFire Pro Gaming Keyboard.

The New QuickFire

Released early last month, the CM Storm QuickFire Pro Gaming Keyboard by Cooler Master stands to be the next generation of the brand’s popular QuickFire Rapid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard line.

Boasting a smooth and clean feel, the new QuickFire Pro comes with a set of additional/extra keycaps, with a matching key puller designed to facilitate key replacements and changes.

Made for precision, durability and comfort, the QuickFire Pro boasts a response time of 1 millisecond (on USB mode), geared to facilitate the easy navigation of various gaming environments.

As an added functional feature, the QuickFire Pro’s dedicated “windows key” can be disabled during game sessions, and its featured multimedia buttons enhances its media control features in real time. Its featured N Key Rollover facilitates the activation of various keys simultaneously, an available for deployment feature in either PS/2 or USB mode.

With a non-glossy matte fishing, the QuickFire Pro comes with laser-marked keycaps, offering the best quality mechanical hardware benefits for users. Designed to work with various games, from FPS, RTS and MMO, the QuickFire Pro is also built with hassle free cable management features, facilitating easy travel and transfer benefits.

With a braided USB cable construction, signals between computers and user commands are performance enhanced, while its efficient anti-cable clutter makes it a better, more focused gaming experiences.

Reports based on the Yomiuri Shimbun talk about how the Japanese Government is questioning the sales methods of social game publishers based in Japan, in an effort to better gain insight over where the money of social game advocates go and how “legal” they were acquired.

Questioning the actual sustainability factors of the industry sector, the “compugacha” tactic is put under heavy scrutiny.

Involving the purchase of virtual trinkets using real currency, the tactic works with a “you’ll never know what you’ll get” philosophy, leaving many avid gamers purchasing and spending thousands just to complete a set of virtual trinkets.

The tactic is said to violate a number of laws, thus the focus it is being put under.

Reported to raise revenues of up to $3.13 billion USD, the mobile phone game market in Japan is quite huge, with compugacha games being the primary source.

With games – developers and titles – being a “hot topic” as for-purchase entertainment goods/services/mediums, news of the Japanese Government engaging on inquiries says something about just how embedded games and spending habits have become.

Though far from ranking up with game titles developed for gaming consoles, social network games are increasingly popular features, coming as a mode of entertainment for users and cash cows for developers.

With posted revenues and expected year-end forecasts yielding astronomic figures, it’s no wonder why the Japanese Government is concerned, much to the dismay of game title proponents who’ve done well through offered games and add-on extended services.

So when the classic Marvel VS Capcom 2 was released for the iOS last April 25, anticipation over the game’s release was met with healthy enthusiasm.

Now that it has been out and about, comments over the release and comments revolving around the overall quality of games for the iOS have (mostly) fallen along the lines of “they suck”, saying much about how the act of rebranding a classic title has become a numbers game in terms of sales and releases.

With inconsistent framerates and a fickle input control system, the iOS version of Marvel VS Capcom 2 stands to be a good example on why developers and gaming platforms just can’t treat consumers like sheep, unless the idea is to maintain out-of-touch followers who’d certainly gobble anything with an “i” prefix.

With an “on screen joystick” the game’s controls emulate the classic arcade control setup, but fails to deliver essential precision controls in keying in combos. To some extent, players are left to just randomly scour their fingers over the controls, leaving Ryu or Ken to hopefully counter an attack from Wolverine.

But as “sucky” as the game’s controls are, the title has become one of the top rated App Store titles, much to the happiness of its rebranding and rerelease proponents.

In the end, the game becomes an example, one which tells consumers that we all have to make a stand, to make a statement over just what is to be expected from future game releases.

If anything else, we are all bound to get “sucky” games if we just take whatever classic is given to us.

Far be it for any developer to fail due to the poor delivery of graphics and gameplay features, the Japan-made Parameters comes to bring the Role Playing Game (RPG) genre a facelift, with this title coming without any stunning graphics, no surreal sounds, and no simple story goal as storyline base.

It practically contradicts the necessary variables which deem RPG game titles as worthy, but as it is, Parameters boasts RPG gameplay features as its primary appeal.

Likening Parameters to a database spreadsheet would be apt, since the Flash game sports boxes, numbers and graphs. Tough far from requiring thorough analysis of debit and credit figures, the game simply requires players to click on mission boxes, accomplish missions and garner points in the process.

Clicking more boxes and raking in more points raises mission challenges, and once the “big boss” box is conquered, Parameters champions are borne.

By stripping down to the base gameplay elements of RPG titles, Parameters stands to be a social commentary on the genre, since essentially, what players do in graphics-and-sound driven RPG’s is rake in points and redeem rewards.

Though far from (way far) from being a “Diablo III killer”, the game reunites gamers with the foundations of RPG, by efficiently doing away with the “distractions” over the gameplay value in role playing games.

Now on its beta (on a semi-public status) phase, Pixel Junk 4a by Q-Games is the promised program/game geared to convert PlayStation 3 units into musical instruments, kind of a different take on the music-inclined following which came after the launch of the Guitar Hero franchise.

Developed to yield to the least learning curve challenges encountered in learning new musical instruments, the program/game works with the PlayStation Move and with the PlayStation 3’s default controllers. The program/game features options in calling in and combining the use of various instruments, with versatile featured musical options, sound effects, and sound enhancement conventions.

Taking in the enhanced online accessibility features of the PlayStation Network, the program/game is also geared as a platform for listening to tunes, either player-made sounds or “tuned” to the performances of other PixelJunk 4am composers.

Users can voice out their “bravos” and “kudoses” via a stripped version of PixelJunk 4am, with the use of a “viewer portal” which is being advertised to be a free feature portal for anyone to have.

What PixelJunk 4am’s proponents have yet to announce would be its price, since users who intend to stage performances via PixelJunk 4am have to have the full version of the program/game.

It’s difficult to tell weather PixelJunk 4am stands to fill in the gap left by Guitar Hero. Being pushed more as a musical instrument and not necessarily as a game, its focus as a creative medium may not suit well with the entertainment aspect most gamers associate game consoles and gaming environments with.

But questioning its future as a game or musical instrument aside, the interests of music loving gamers will surely be piqued.

Revealed to have recently posted an annual loss close to $534 million, the videogame platform maker intends to change its stance in the non-clear distinction of the availability of digital and/or physical purchase options for game titles.

Come August, Nintendo will allow publishers the capacity to feature downloadable versions of packaged games, a move that many have been quick to say “It’s about time”, but one which leaves Nintendo in a deadlock between simplifying the sale of its products to its customers and keeping retailers of their products happy.

Nintendo, like Sony and Microsoft some years back, is at a point where the digital distribution of their products is at wits end with traditional-storage, media-based sales modes.

Like Sony and Microsoft back then, Nintendo is locked in facilitating the transition of going digital, without necessarily crippling its relationship with “physical game” selling organizations and entities, given the inevitable fact that online/digital sales is well on its way into becoming a norm.

The reported annual loss announcement comes after Nintendo’s financials becoming a matter of public record. It is Nintendo’s first year in the red, since.

With game developers, game titles and their price being a recent “hot topic” in the gaming arena, Nintendo’s plans for the future says much about the changes in the signs of the times.

As digital becomes more and more prevalent, the kingmakers of yesterday are becoming moot points in defining industry leaders from industry trailers.

Announced to be available to the general market via Sega’s Official Twitter Feed, the Toylet is basically a men’s urinal mounted gaming gadget, rigged to work with a screen which is positioned at eye-level, on top of the urinal.

Initially road-tested in selected locations in Tokyo, the Toylet’s control inputs come from a sensor positioned in the urinal itself.

Capable of measuring volume and pressure levels, the gaming device features short, quick-ending games, with premises like blowing up girls’ skirts or a game where filling coffee cans is the primary objective.

As a gaming device, the Toylet is obviously not for the general public, but its existence has been embraced by various establishment owners who’ve had the chance to have them in their bathrooms, given that it has actually helped (as its initial testing phase reports) maintain cleanliness in men’s bathroom stalls.

The gaming device can also be rigged to play short video advertisements after games, increasing its function as a “bathroom cleanliness aid”, as well as can be rigged to be coin operated.

As a gaming device, unorthodox doesn’t begin to describe the Toylet, given its “unique” input controls, though where it should ideally be positioned does have certain similarities with most portable gaming gadgets.

Starting at $1,748 (from its base 140,000 Yen), additional Toylet games could cost $125 (or 10,000 yen) each, based on reports from Engadget Japan.

For that price, one can’t help but question what exactly is Sega doing with itself now. Has it run out of Sonic spin-off ideas already?

Developed by Crytek and published by Electronic Arts, Crysis 3 is slated to come in versions for Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with official release forecasts set on Spring 2013. Categorized as a first-person shooter, Crysis 3 takes after the established Crysis series, designed to run on the CryEngine 3 game engine.

As part of the Crysis series, Crysis 3 brings players to the world of Prophet, this time, as he goes back to New York.

The game takes on the premise of the Cell Corporation encasing New York in a giant Nanodome, with the New York City Liberty Dome bearing the scene of a dense, alien like urban rainforest. From raging rivers to thick swamplands, the third Crysis promises engaging location maps with treacherous environment variables and risks, along with challenging and deadly oppositions and targets.

In Crysis 3, the Liberty Dome is set to house seven different locations known as the Seven Wonders, with each location requiring advanced tactics and a selection of advanced weapons to conquer. Players, as Prophet, will have to make do with alien technologies, a specialized composite bow and an enhanced Nanosuit in coming out as the deadliest hunter to ever hunt in an ever dangerous world.

Check out the latest gameplay trailer of Crysis 3 for more details over what to expect from the title when it comes out next year.

Published by Microsoft Studios and developed by Remedy Entertainment, the last release of the Alan Wake series is known as Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, and was released on February 22 this year.

Essentially a downloadable following of the first Alan Wake (Alan Wake’s American Nightmare is not a sequel to the first title), the game’s popularity has boosted it to higher proportions, making it a strong story-driven, action and horror themed game title.

The game, in the pathways and avenues its release and sale has treaded on, was released on Steam and is defined it as one of Steam’s top selling game titles, holding on to that title for some time.

As rumors and notes based on the Steam registry indicate, the release of another Alan Wake title is apparently on the works, given how popular and well-accepted the title has been.

The game garnered an 8 out of 10 score from IGN, and got praised for its implemented production elements and action features. It did, however, gain some negative criticisms for its “sub-par story”, its deadpan element of suspense and its poorly written choice of dialogue.

The game’s “negative aspects” didn’t do any harm to its release and acceptance, even making as the top selling Arcade game on Xbox Live in the first week of its release.

As rumors come, no specific details on release dates or new features of the newest Alan Wake have officially come out, but as rumors also come, the new release has been accepted with welcome grins from cult followers of the series, as developments and related news are coming out, little by little.

From failing to accomplish obligations to missing important appointments (common in most all-nighter sessions), the number of real life issues related to gaming are as heavily numbered as the number of growing gamers getting into the act, a fact which can’t be branded as heresy, regardless of what a gamer or non-gamer has to say over the matter.

More and more are getting into games, even amidst the current “hot topic” of how much game developers are pricing their products, and how much productivity time is lost from playing games.

Japan-based social game publishers DeNA and Gree, however, have raised a “bartender, cutting the customer off” system with their published social game titles, in an effort to control the spending habits of teenagers actively engaged with their products.

The bottom line is, DeNA and Gree are set on limiting their customers spending habits when playing their games, limiting 15 year olds and younger a limit of 5,000 yen (close to $62) per month, as older teens are allowed to spend as much as 10,000 yen (close to $123) per month.

The two publishers have held discussions with Mixi Inc, Dwango Co, CyberAgent Inc and NHN Japan Corp, four of Japan’s biggest social networking game service firms, last March, with the subject of proper use of game sites by young people at the top of discussions.

Based on reports from the Fuji News Network, Japan’s players are estimated to spend 350 billion yen ($4.3 billion) on social gaming this year, which is pretty much 70 times the amount spent back in 2008.

Though teens in Japan would certainly see this setup as a drag, parents, for sure, will find this as a responsible initiative coming from developers, though not necessarily an assurance that their teens would actually get to do house chores on time.

What do you think? Think the US could do well with something like this set up?

A recent partnership between CBS Interactive – a major part of the CBS network – and Major League Gaming (MLG) and TwitchTV, however, comes to reshape the long associated status of CBS and sporting events, with CBS Interactive’s new role in the arena of virtual gaming competitions, tournaments and events.

As reports indicate, gaming tournaments or eSports have drawn more and more fans over the years, leading different entities into actively participating in various organized eSports gatherings, well aware of the area’s lucrative 18-34 young adult demographic.

CBS’ shares that broadcasted video gaming competitions gathers a number of viewers who spend an average of 23 minutes at a time.

Compared to the three minute average spent watching other types of online video media, statistics (as CBS’ shares, based on data from its maintained sites) for video game-related media views is at over three billion minutes per month.

CBS Interactive’s partnership with MLG, along with its partnership with TwitchTV, aims to increase the more than three billion minutes figure to higher stats and figures.

Though the average netizen can’t comprehend the allure of watching a StarCraft II match, the active followers of eSporting-inclined media can’t be understated, even with the current trials and tribulations being currently experienced by the video game industry, in general.

Though far from affecting everyday life (for everyone) as social networks have, eSporting events stand to be an on the rise phenomenon, with more players and spectators joining in, actively participating in its rise as an on-the-rise societal staple.

Though release announcements of this caliber don’t really call for shocked psyches or piqued gamer interests (after all, the only noted edge, apart from the chrome finish, is an enhanced and improved D-pad), the Japan release of the controller has sparked a lot of interest since its purchase entitles buyers to a coupon issued by Capcom, allowing for free downloadable content for Dragon’s Dogma, one of Capcom’s soon-to-be released titles.

Given how price and downloadable content has been a hot topic for games recently, the aspect of “added value” has left many gamers questioning just what is up with this “Chrome” Controller + Downloadable Content for Dragon’s Dogma bundle.

Capcom has been quite aggressive in the push for Dragon’s Dogma, going as far as featuring a free demo of Resident Evil 6, with an actual Dragon’s Dogma demo (for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 ) to be released within the month.

As reported, the coupon that comes with the “chrome” controller allows gamers access to eight additional quests for Dragon’s Dogma, quests which can be purchased separately by non-coupon holders.

No specific date when these add on quests can be bought has been indicated, nor has there been any announcement related to its price, only that it will be available for purchase on later dates.

In the US, the “chrome” controller will be available on May 15, with the game to-be released on May 22. In Japan, both the controller and the game will be simultaneously released on May 24.

With Diablo III soon to come, it makes one wonder if a controller + coupon is enough to veer Diablo III players towards Dragon’s Dogma.

The exclusive partnership makes CBS Interactive the official online broadcasting venue of MLG’s Pro Gaming Circuit events, as well as puts it in the capacity to exclusively offer sponsorships and sell advertising/promotions via TwitchTV, as well as expand TwitchTV’s content coverage and reach.

MLG is hailed for being the world’s most prominent and recognized eSports league, which had nearly totaled 15 million hours of live gaming videos in 2011. MLG’s Pro Circuit season gathers some of the best players in the world, attracting thousands of spectators during live organized competitions.

TwitchTV is famed as the world’s leading video game broadcasting network, with a reach that expands to 16 million viewers per month. Featuring live in-game commentaries during live gaming tournaments, competitions and events, it consistently grows as a hub where gamers get to witness heated up and intense gaming sessions.

“The eSports scene is one of the hottest trends in video, and is rapidly attracting the core 18-34 male demographic in greater numbers than any other medium or category,” shared Jim Lanzone, President, CBS Interactive.

“With these partnerships, CBSi now represents the biggest audience in live gaming and is able to offer our advertising partners a unique mix of trusted, premium content along with the huge engagement and audience that the eSports scene is commanding right now.” Lanzone further comments.

CBS Interactive is a division of the CBS Corporation, standing as one of the world’s most respected online content network for entertainment information, news and current events.

Listed in top 10 web property lists, CBS Interactive’s online properties rate over 250 million visits monthly, via online brand leaders such as CNET, CBS.com, BNET, CBSNews.com, CBSSports, Last.fm and GameSpot.

However, a blog post by Jean Paoli, a tenured Microsoft standards personality, recently revealed the brand’s intention of launching a subsidiary geared to advance the company’s investment in openness – including interoperability, open standards and open source.

Dubbed Microsoft Open Technologies, Inc, the spinoff is set to be headed by Paoli, who, based on reports, has been a longtime player in the XML community.

“[The] structure will make it easier and faster to iterate and release open source software, participate in exiting open source efforts and accept contributions from the community” to quote Paoli.

The announcement has raked in enough comments and sentiments from skeptics and optimists, questioning Microsoft’s “sudden” stance when it was quite adamant in its dislike for open source technologies a few years back.

Though far from being the first time Microsoft has taken a step into open source territories, the brand has actually done a number of open source initiatives in recent years, from hosting open source projects, to even being hailed as a top contributor to the Linux project last month.

Critics haven’t failed in pointing out how much at risk Microsoft’s standing is, in relation to the existence of open source data center technologies and mobile technologies, and many have linked its plans to this fact: unless Microsoft embraces open source, it will be left behind.

Given Microsoft’s influence in the IT landscape, standards in the arenas of productivity software, gaming and gaming development/release stand to be “at risk”, but by how much, its too soon to tell.

Bottom line, as open source is a path Microsoft is heading to tread down on, we’re in for a lot of surprises once plans are in play.

• Designed for FPS/RTS gamers
• Five programmable buttons
• On-board memory to store your settings
• Adjustable dpi in four settings: 450/900/1800/3500
• Built-in 20g weight
• Lighting system illuminates scroll wheel and logo
• Rubber coating finish for non-slip grip
• MSRP: $49.99
• Available in the USA and Canada in May

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Genius Announces Professional FPS Gaming Mouse for the GX Gaming Series – Maurus

Here are some which have been up and about, lately.

Tim Cook’s visit to Valve – Appleinsider.com reports that CEO Tim Cook recently visited Valve’s headquarters in Washington.

The meet has spurned a number of agenda theories, the most prominent being an Apple/Valve collabo related to the release and support of more Apple-inclined games.

Though some rumors have pointed out the possibility of an Apple-Valve Game Console is on its way, the prospect of Apple expanding game options for its OSX operating sytem and Valve out to expand its market stands to be more realistic compared to the birth of an Apple/Valve produced game console.

But who’s to say an Apple/Valve console isn’t possible?

Left 4 Dead’s Latest Sequel – Xbox Magazine UK dropped a rumor, indicating that Left 4 Dead maker, Valve, is currently working on the next installment of the popular Left 4 Dead series.

Reports indicate that the next Left 4 Dead is more story-line driven, deeming it to have the gameplay points of Half-Life 2.

Reports also reveal new weapons and new characters in the next Left 4 Dead installment, along with the implementation of a more advanced AI directing system, allowing for enhanced change level abilities and map element manipulations making each new Left 4 Dead game session different from one another.

Given that Valve generally keeps mum on new title releases, no official word from Valve has been issued in relation to the game’s release date… yet.

Mass Effect 3 at bargain price? – the recent string of reactions related to the end of Mass Effect 3, one of Bioware’s more known titles, has led many to question the price drop of the game at $39.99 (for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3) from any Best Buy outlet.

At $40 (who are they kidding with that $39.99 tag), the game is $20 off it retail price.

Rumor has it that this price-set is geared to quell the game’s “Mass Effect Controversy” issue, apart from the release of the Mass Effect Resurgency Pack.

Professional gaming can be a challenging but rewarding career. Here are a few tips for would-be professional gamers to get started:

• Pick Your Game – Professional gamers pick a specific game to specialize in before they play in tournaments. From “Halo” to “World of Warcraft” and “Tekken” to “Starcraft,” professionals play all sorts of games from different genres and different platforms. Whatever game you choose, make sure it’s one that you enjoy.
• Practice, Practice, Practice – After choosing a game, you need to know everything about the game, inside and out. You’ll have to invest a lot of time to practice your game if you want to play at the professional level. Memorize strategies and statistics of your chosen game. You may even be working with a team. Much of what you learn is going to depend on the game that you pick.
  A great way to learn is from others. Play against others as much as possible, especially those that are better than you and learn from them. Observe professional gamers as much as possible in order to learn from their gameplay. You can also learn about games from design degrees.
• Compete – Consider which tournament league you would like to be in. Many leagues charge competitors for entry so you may want to try some free ones first. Be a gracious winner, learn from your losses, and show respect to your fellow gamers. Over time you will build a reputation and one day earn a contract with a league. Many professional players also work with the media to gain a fan base and sell merchandise.
  Taking part in competitions will be a large investment of time and money. You’ll have to pay for your own travel and lodging. If it’s not possible for you to travel, there are online competitions to take part in instead.
  Consider competing for a contract or playing independently. You can go to World Cyber Games for more information. These two leagues are generally considered the big leagues.

The most important thing to remember as a professional gamer is to never give up. Becoming an established gamer takes a lot of time and effort. It never happens overnight.

For those interested in other aspects of science and technology, check out www.onlinebachelordegree.com.

Sources

eHow (2012)

Bright Hub (2011)

So far, portable gaming rigs have won points over desktop systems when LAN parties are put on the table, since portable gaming laptops simplify the mobility concerns involved in LAN parties and in joining them.

Alienware, a brand which doesn’t require lengthy introductions, has however launched a modest desktop solution, one which runs to even the score between portable gaming systems and desktops in relation to LAN parties: Alienware’s Andromeda X51.

The Andromeda X51 Desktop System

At 12 pounds, the Andromeda X51 comes with a base convention price of $700, with expandable options in accommodating a gamer’s particulars, requirements and needs from a gaming computer system.

Sized close to the dimensions of an average gaming console, the Andromeda X51 is small enough to be carried under one arm, a form feature which facilitates easy mobility.

Though far from sporting the mobile benefits boasted by gaming-inclined laptops, the rig’s price is a standout feature in itself, and getting the $1,000 convention arms gamers with an Intel Core i5 (3Ghz) processor, 8 gigs of RAM, 1 TB of hard drive space, a dual output NVIDIA GTX 555 GPU, and a slot-loading DVD drive, along with two front mounted USB 2.0 ports, with four more USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 ports at the back.

With an Ethernet port, HDMI, SPIDF TOSLINK and coaxial ports at the back, the Andromeda X51’s $1000 convention commands a powerful workable system for gamers, conveniently sized to be small enough to fit in limited or cramped spaces.

With most intense gaming sessions cramped in using gaming laptops, lugging desktops around is also not an easy feat.

Alienware, with the Andromeda X51, offers a modest, combined solution for gamers, amalgamating the upsides of portable gaming laptops and desktops in one.

But even with questions and inquiries regarding how stats and figures are gathered, indelible marks are often associated with polled entities, something which Electronic Arts and Activision will have to live with, now.

In Consumerist’s annually organized Worst Company in America reader poll, Electronic Arts was recently dubbed as “winner”, a status followed by its rival company, Activision, and the Bank of America.

Though far from being the only companies included in the poll, Electronic Arts crushed Activision and Bank of America by 64 and 36 percent, with a revealing explanation by Consumerist, explaining why Electronic Arts managed to be the poll’s “winner”.

“For years, while movies and music became more affordable and publishers piled on bonus content, or multiple modes of delivery as added value to entice customers to buy, video games have continued to be priced like premium goods,” to-quote Consumerist’s announcement of “winners” of the reader’s poll.

As the traditional business model of the game development industry is one that is constantly abreast with shifts in technology standards and modes of delivery/publication/marketing, different entertainment franchises have tailor-tuned their products/services to suit the ideals of their consumers.

Organizations like EA Games and Activision may have adapted to these shifts and changes, but as Consumerist’s poll suggests, it appears that the two brands have failed to “update” an industry variable: price.

With other cheaper and more practical game title options up and about, developers like EA and Activision may have to rethink their stance over their premium content’s tags, considering the fact that they’re not the only ones in the industry, now.

Price and quality are often looked for by most, but if price stands to be too much for quality, the situation calls for a rise of alternatives, which, if anyone thinks about for a couple of seconds, proves to be a better option over paying ridiculous fees for “standard-grade” products.

What say you? Think the poll’s got EA and Activision tagged rightly?

From various forums flooded with gamer reactions, to the setup of petition campaigns (with one generating a substantial amount of funds) petitioning Bioware to call for a game ending redo, the whole situation has led to the release of a pack, dubbed the Resurgence Pack.

Released last April 10, the pack is basically a multi-player content package, which features two new maps and three new guns, along with a line of new characters, a Krogan Vanguard, Geth, and Batarians.

Condor, one of the pack’s new maps, is based in one of the Turian homeworld’s moons, defined as a dreary landscape of rock walls and rock tunnels, with narrow pathways and a circular overall “pathway” design. The “upgraded Vanguard” features shield recharging capabilities during successful dashes, a feature which comes in handy when a player is rushing to help a fellow player in a tight spot.

Being a free multi-player content package for Mass Effect 3, the release stands to be Bioware’s attempt in quelling the negative reactions the original Mass Effect 3 had gathered towards itself.

So far, reactions over the release have been mixed, with a quirk in the game’s drop-out/drop-in feature being mentioned, with a number of teams talking about how impossible it is to win a campaign with only three people involved.

The pack is free for download, accessible via Mass Effect 3’s built-in download interface.

Any comments from anyone who has given the Resurgence Pack a go?

April 12, 2012, Taipei, Taiwan Cubitek, a manufacturer of PC chassis, is pleased to announce the world’s smallest case supporting an EATX motherboard – Magic Cube AIO. Cubitek’s Magic Cube AIO is ideal for gamers wanting the power of an EATX in a size that is easy to carry to LAN parties, as well as users who want to build a high-performance PC but have a limited computing area.

Optimized Hardware Support in a Ultra Compact Size
With the dimensions of 9.61” x 19.36” x 18.78” (W x H x D), the aluminum constructed Magic Cube AIO is designed to make the most out of every available space – allowing users to install the hardware they want in a chassis with a exceptionally small footprint.

The Magic Cube AIO doesn’t waste space in its placement options for its 3.5”HDDs and 2.5” SSDs. One 3.5” HDD and one 2.5” SSD are designed to be placed on top of the 5.25” optical drive cage, while another 3.5” HDD fits below the same 5.25” optical drive cage which is located at the bottom of the chassis. Three more 3.5” HDDs and one more 2.5” SSD can be easily installed behind the motherboard tray.

Despite of the Magic Cube AIO’s small chassis size, there is room for VGA cards up to 14.17” (360mm) in length, enough for the latest graphics cards on the market, thanks to its great internal layout. The future expandability.

Efficient Cooling and Cable Management
The front two 140(mm) fans, rear 120 (mm) fan, and top 140 (mm) fan with blue LED illumination keep your hardware within the Magic Cube AIO at stable system temperatures. The cool air can travel unobstructed throughout the case thanks to the 0.7” (19 (mm) ) space behind the motherboard tray for neat and easy cable management. For even more cooling, the latest CPU coolers with a maximum height of 7.1” (180 (mm) ) can be easily installed inside the Magic Cube AIO.

Efficient Cooling and Cable Management
The two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and gold-plated audio input/output with anti-jamming capabilities are all easy-to-reach and use as they are located on the front panel.

Pricing and Availability
Magic Cube AIO will be available through selected partners in various countries in the beginning of May at the suggested retail price of USD $ 279.90 excluding VAT.

Cubitek Co., Ltd. – “Your invitation to the next generation”
Initially focused on an OEM/ODM business model, Cubitek since the spring of 2010 has reorganized and has become a branded manufacturer developing interesting and unique PC chassis. After introducing the first product in 2011, Cubitek is launching a new series of products in 2012 under the motto: “Your invitation to the next generation”. For more information, visit our website www.cubitek.com.

For Specifications: Please see attached PDF sheet or http://cubitek.com/products/magic-cube

From implementing “restore” game options after cases of online game account theft to issuing “starter kits” made to facilitate the continued gameplay of “crippled” game-user accounts, the virtual world is well aware of how crime has gone broadly digital, divesting into the realms of gaming fantasy with actual currency involved.

Here are three of the most well known online gaming-inclined “crimes”, “crimes” which every gamer should know about and strongly advocate against, unless game conventions and standards would take on more drastic tones.

Gold Farming – with online game environments working under closed economy pretexts, the concept behind the “gold farming” practice (often attributed to be popular in Russia and in China) is easy to understand: real-world cash in exchange for in-game currency.

As a practice, “gold farming” is likened to exist as a function, a part of any existing real-world economy, where demand makes incentives out of production as supply drives price. Given how real-world economy based most online games are, the practice yields to a real-money trading (RMT) environment, and as any scheme out for a quick buck, it capitalizes on real-trading elements of online gaming ecosystems.

The practice negates the aspect of healthy competition, with “gold farming” advocates having their slews of “slaves” culling gold for them in exchange for cash. It doesn’t exactly hurt in-game economies, but it does have an impact in real world setups.

Account Theft – believe it or not, criminal organizations have actually been reported to engage in the theft of online game accounts, streamlining and even industrializing the processes involved in the practice.

Utilizing different tools, from keyloggers to spam/phishing oriented methods, the goal of most account theft proponents is access. Access to databases which house pertinent information, particularly credit card details. Though most companies employ encryption options with database records, hacked accounts could also be used for malicious online practices such as phishing and/or identity theft.

Anything of value is typically stolen once accounts are accessed, and reports of large networks (like Sony’s PlayStation Network) have histories of compromised user information and data, spilling over from hacked user accounts.

Virtual Item Theft – oftentimes following up after accounts are accessed through malicious means, virtual item theft has led to cases of rare in-game items being transferred to dummy accounts, later sold in exchange for real life currencies.

Though there have been a number of options offered by developers to compensate victims of virtual item theft, pinpointing and identifying legitimate cases of virtual item theft isn’t as easy, at times even difficult for most game developers.

It may not sound serious, but game developers are keen on ensuring a “safety net” for virtual item theft cases. The example of the Japanese MMO M2, which had to reset game data due to a server failure, left players without their character details and stats, which consequently led to the death of the game itself.

In keeping online game environments safe, developers are in constant search of strategies which don’t encourage the proliferation of criminals. But as lucrative as the arena has become over the years, a gamer’s sense of initiative stand to be the best safeguards against the rise of online gaming crimes.

BenQ recently announced the upcoming release of the XL2430T, the brand’s flagship gaming-inclined monitor.

Developed with the inputs and expertise of Counter-Strike game legends from different parts of the world, the monitor is tailor-cut for first person shooting (FPS) games, ideal for professionals and competitive gamers who want only the best features which a gaming monitor can offer.

“This new FPS flagship model from BenQ was a product of collaboration with world-renowned pro gamers and legendary players, which brought together fundamental gaming insights to master first-person shooting games with super-fast response rate, razor-sharp clarity and tailored control,” shares Manish Bakshi, General Manager, BenQ Mena, regarding the XL2430T.

As a gaming monitor, the XL2430T comes with NVIDIA’s NVIDIA 3D LightBoost technology, designed to enhance viewing experiences to more vivid and brighter tones (up to twice original brightness features). Full HD 3D gaming is also possible with NVIDIA’s NVIDIA 3D Vision 2, which enhances the monitor’s entertainment features to go beyond gaming sessions.

The monitor also features the Black eQualiser color engine technology, along with a remote controller which users can use in customizing settings and display standards. It features quick scaling and interchanging features between screen sizes, which complements smart scaling and fast display mode setting.

With its intricate red detailing and housed in a premium black tone, the monitor is sleek in terms of looks, a feature which most gamers look for when talking about equipment and gear.

A Taiwan-based manufacturer of consumer electronics, BenQ offers product options which deliver, without necessarily letting users spend huge amounts of cash.

Its newest flagship gaming monitor promises a lot of possibilities, not just in terms of performance, but also in terms of reasonable price and affordability.

Kickstarter, one of the world’s most known crowdfunding sites, has proven this upside in various arenas, from the development of comic book titles to the development and release of games.

In fact, a number of games – such as upcoming Wasteland 2 – owe its inception, release and success to Kickstarter projects.

Wasteland 2 and Kickstarter

Dubbed as the “godfather of post-apocalyptic games”, Wasteland 2 is a follow up of the 1988 Wasteland, the brainchild of designer Brian Fargo.

In coming up with Wasteland 2, Fargo set a Kickstarter funding goal of $900,000, which managed to hit that goal in two days time, eventually leading to the development and coming release of Wasteland 2 by October 2013.

The game is set to come out in versions for Linux, PC and Mac, an RPG game that can be enjoyed across different computer operating system platforms, made by the spirit of active RPG gaming.

As established game publishers like Electronic Arts, THQ and Warner Bros. still maintain solid positions in the gaming industry, the rise of Wasteland 2, along with the initial success of the Double Fine gaming studio (hailed to be the first big-league developer to initiate Kickstarter projects), calls for new trends in the development and release of game titles and fanbases, one that even threatens the current norms and conventions of the industry.

Interaction between markets, potential markets and developers are currently changing the landscape of production and development, and with the success of a number of Kickstarter-initiated projects, this rise may just be what future gamers and developers have to contend with, in more ways than one.

Think you’ll ever get comfy with the idea IF the whole “Kickstarter-driven standard” goes mainstream?

Recent events in the gaming arena promise to have a similar setup on the works, with the apparent rise of the “indie” little by little going “mainstream” over old gaming industry standards and conventions.

One such event revealed as much, when independent game developers got together over this year’s April Fools Day weekend, participating in a 48 hour gamejam dubbed What Would Molydeux?

What Would Molydeux?

Following after the tweets of legendary British game designer Peter Molydeux, the event gathered close to 300 game premises hailing from 900 participating game developers, with more joining in the fun, daily.

The result has created niche-market games with “crazy” premises, like a game which involve bears in need of hugs for survival, a game with emotional cars and roads, and a game where pigeons have to talk out suicidal businessmen from killing themselves. Certain games have even thought out of the box, with games where the rules are not revealed to players and a game where the “pause button” is actually a weapon.

The games pretty much ruled out market dominance and market share figures, allowing developers to develop games without any sales/profit and market acceptability constraints.

Granted, the games are definitely not for everyone, but with the advent of online distribution platforms like the App Store and Stream, indie game developers and indie games have a stronger fighting chance in redefining the gaming industry landscape.

Crowdfunding venues like Kickstarter also have a significant message and lesson, pointing out that traditional game publishers no longer have a monopoly in funding future game developments, projects and releases.

The success of Super Meat Boy, Braid and Minecraft says a lot about the rise of the indie, as the number of successful games recently released are “sequels” to established game titles, which says something about game premises and marketability assurances.

What say you? Think indie’s got the chops to take on “alternative music’s” treaded paths?

Product Features of the SP-i250G

• Dual mini portable speakers for iPad, iPod, iPhone, PC, NB, MP3/MP4 player, or CD player
• Omni-directional audio creating a 360° sound field
• Twist-able body to turn on/off and adjust volume
• Color changing LED ring
• Up to eight hours of audio playback
• Built-in lithium battery; quick charge by USB
• MSRP: $49.99
• Now available in the US and Canada

Press Release archive and images:
http://www.globalpr.com.tw/press-room/genius/
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Genius Announces SP-i250G Portable Speakers for the GX Gaming Series

Convenient High-Quality Audio Wherever You Go

April 5, 2012, Taipei, Taiwan – Genius, a leading manufacturer of computer peripherals, is pleased to announce the SP-i250G Portable Speakers for the GX Gaming Series. Able to play rich and vivid audio from virtually any device, these dual compact speakers are ideal for the modern on-the-go users.

Listening to high-quality on these 40mm omni-directional neodymium speakers is easy. Users simply plug in the gold-plated 3.5mm jack into their preferred electronic device, be it an iPod, iPad, or notebook, and they can experience the full spectrum of sound including deep low tones.

Twisting the body of the SP-i250G allows you to turn these portable speakers on and off as well as to adjust the volume. Adding more visual appeal, an LED ring circling the middle of the SP-i250G changes colors when music or audio is playing.

The 6W speakers play audio from your electronic devices either together or separately, and are able to play continuously for up to eight hours on a single charge thanks to the built-in lithium battery. When the GX Series SP-i250G does need a recharge the included USB cable is easily plugged into a notebook or desktop for a quick charge.

With a included travel pouch for each of these compact speakers, they can be taken wherever you may go without worry of nicks or scratches. The SP-i250G is currently available in the US and Canada for the suggested retail price of $49.99.

Technical Specifications:

• Total output power (watts): 6 watts
• Driver unit: 40mm neodymium metal driver
• Frequency Response: 100Hz ~ 20KHz
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 80 dB
• Battery Capacity: 470mAh
• Length of use: up to eight hours

Package Contents

• Two speakers
• Audio/charging cable
• Two pouches
• Multi-language user’s manual

Product details and photos are available at:
http://www.geniusnet.com/wSite/ct?xItem=52003&ctNode=3607&mp=1

Complete GX Gaming Series available at:
http://www.geniusnet.com/wSite/np?ctNode=3603&mp=1

Check out the GX Gaming Series YouTube Video here:

About Genius

Genius is a leading international brand in computer peripherals. Established by KYE Systems Corp. in 1983, Genius offers PC products including computer mice, keyboards, web and security cameras, speakers, gaming peripherals, remote controls, headphones, digital cameras, digital camcorders and digital photo frames. The Genius consumer electronics range includes mobile phone accessories, Bluetooth headsets and portable speakers. For six consecutive years, beginning in 2005, Genius was recognized as one of Taiwan’s Top 20 Global Brands. For more information, you can visit the Genius website at www.geniusnet.com

Genius company profile on YouTube

With initial reactions mostly falling along the lines of the project’s similarity with EVE Online, the game divests into a world where the space race never ended, taking place in an alternate universe version, where mankind simply soared higher and higher into space.

The game’s timeline story is that a computer program glitch caused an “overstep” for a planned single year cryogenically frozen state for a number of space travelers, leaving them frozen for 281,474,976,710,644 years.

Far into the future, the ships are still using with computers from the 1980s.

The game, as it had been reported to feature, tries and tests the quick thinking skills of players, with a ship generator which can only put out a certain amount of power at a given time. This means that a ship can only run certain features (for example, a cloaking field) if other features are shut down. It calls for a player’s quick thinking, to weigh down which and what to put into action.

The game is also planned to feature a fully functional emulated 16-bit computer, and is also hinted to focus heavily on the principles of engineering and mining.

Regarding its name, Persson himself has not really shared much on how to pronounce it, but given its formula-like stance, it hints of 16-bit systems, which play an integral role in the game.

No official release date has been issued for 0×10C as the game is still in its early development stages. However, like Minecraft, the game highlights an extended beta period duration before a final game version is released.

Product Features of PC-V700

• Lian Li’s smallest chassis supporting an ATX motherboard
• Elegant brushed aluminum frame
• Holds up to six 3.5” HDDs and two 2.5” SSDs
• Impressive cooling with three 120mm and one 140mm fan
• Front panel I/O ports: USB 3.0 x3 / e-SATA x1 / HD Audio
• Eight expansion slots
• Three versions: black, silver, and internal black with side panel window
• MSRP:
  • PC-V700A – $249 (VAT not included)
  • PC-V700B – $249 (VAT not included)
  • PC-V700WX – $279 (VAT not included)
• Available in the US and Canada at the end of April

Press Release archive and images:
http://www.globalpr.com.tw/press-room/lian-li/
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Lian Li Announces Their Smallest ATX Motherboard Supported Chassis – PC-V700

Front Placed PSU to Make the Most out of Every Space

5 April 2012, Keelung, Taiwan – Lian-Li Industrial Co. Ltd, the award-winning aluminum computer chassis manufacturer, today announces their smallest chassis supporting a ATX motherboard – PC-V700. This brushed aluminum chassis allows PC builders to get the most out of every available space with its efficient and flexible design.

The PC-V700 with dimensions of 8.26” (W) x 15.74” (H) x 19.52” (D) (210 x 400 x 496mm) gives users several options for installing their hardware in a space saving form. The hotswappable HDD cage below the 5.25” drive bay at the top of the chassis holds up to four 3.5” hard drives. The removable SSD rack that can be placed to hang underneath the 3.5” HDD bay allows users to install two 2.5” hard drives. For users that prefer longer VGA cards, when this 2.5” SSD rack is removed graphics cards up to 17.32” (440mm) in length can be installed.

In order to give more room for future expandability, the PSU is placed in the front of the chassis under the HDD bays. The PC-V700 provides ventilation slits underneath the PSU with a removable pull-out filter to help increase the life and performance of your power supply.

Two additional 3.5” HDDs can be screwed into the floor of the PC-V700 to give even more storage potential for this compact chassis without getting in the way of other hardware.

The Lian Li PC-V700 offers effective thermal cooling with its four well-placed fans. The front 140mm fan with the easy-to-remove twist motion air filter blows cool air directly on the 3.5” hotswappable HDD rack. The dual top and rear 120mm fans keep the cool air circulating throughout the case by pulling hot air out of the chassis.

Providing high connectivity capabilities, the PC-V700 has three USB 3.0, one e-SATA, and HD ports on the front panel.

The PC-V700 comes in three varieties – black (PC-V700B), silver (PC-V700A), and internal black with a side panel window (PC-V700WX).

Specifications

For more product information please visit:
http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/product/product06.php?pr_index=611&cl_index=1&sc_index=25&ss_index=62&g=spec

About Lian Li

After the protests of online media outfits (like Wikipedia) against SOPA and PIPA, changes have taken a domino-effect turn in the ways and means that happen in cyberspace, and the areas those ways and means have or pose to have an impact in on certain related industries.

Sony and Microsoft, leaders in the console game industry, may just be ushering a new era for media control.

With tips indicating that a built-in “used games control” system will be featured in the next generation of gaming consoles, Sony’s PlayStation Orbis and Microsoft’s Xbox 720 are reported to be future killers of game rental service providers (such as GameStop) and essentially the killers of online game re-sale practices.

The two giants are reported to be heavy in thought, considering the implementation of native “used games control” systems, limiting the games which are loaded into the said consoles.

Sources indicate that the Xbox 720 will be made to completely cut-off from used games, with a game tied down to the console it was first loaded and played on. If this rumor is true, this would mean that one-time-one-user-only discs and downloadable games with tracked registration information are the only methods of getting any games to work with the new gaming console.

For the PlayStation Orbis, reports talk of a similar scenario, only that a “restricted amount of gameplay” is allowed for “non-linked-to-console” games, thereby allowing users “full experience” once a “restriction remover” is purchased via the PlayStation Network.

Granted, these are tips and rumors, but as the way things are (consider the hot water Kim Dotcom, Founder of the now-defunct MegaUpload), it’s a possibility that one can’t dismiss are mere ramblings.

What say you? Think this does well with your tastes?

As countless Facebook and Twitter posts declared intentions of deactivating accounts led on by different reasons, Google’s April Fools gag this year is one for the books: The “release” of Google Maps for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Console.

It has been decades since an actual cartridge for the NES has ever been released, and the gag led countless members of the NES console generation into revisiting the granddaddy of game consoles and gaming gameplay standards.

Accessible via Google Maps, an 8-bit styled graphic system was part of Google’s April Fools gimmick, one that has been dubbed as “the April Fools surpassing all other attempts of April foolery.”

A video was even released, featuring step by step procedures on how a NES user can access Google Maps through the use of a dial-up modem by connecting it to a Google Maps NES cartridge.

With over 60 million units sold worldwide, Google failed to recognize an unsupported game console in the NES and decided to launch support for the system.

For those without NES consoles or the said Google Maps for NES cartridge, clicking on “Start Quest” on Google Maps leads to an 8-bit view of the world, and there are even “cheat codes” for different locations like the Smithsonian Institution Building, the MLK Memorial, the Washington Monument, the White House and the Statue of Liberty.

As a search engine giant and online productivity platform, Google has also recently launched Play, combining different entertainment options in one, consolidated online venue.

Though its status is far from being a joke, Google’s April Fools for 2012 stands to be a fun-filled gag which everyone can enjoy and partake in the laughter, a testament of the online franchise’s online market understanding.

Linda Liao talking about how she got into gaming and how she first thought about pro-gaming after she won a 2 v 4 match against her brother’s friends.

You’ll get to know how much she practices SC2 as well and the best part? A challenge for everyone on NA!

Enjoy everyone!

SlayersEve’s heart has been slayed by MMA himself! Or at least that’s what I initially thought when I first saw the above image however, I doubt anybody can confirm or make an official statement on the personal relationship of these pro-gamers. After all, the image above was taken on “official” business being a part of the SlayerS team’s endorsement of the MMORPG game Troy – Dawn of the Eternal War by game publisher Alt1.

The photoshoot for this included SlayerSBoxer, SlayerSJessica, SlayerSEve, and SlayerSMMA.

Here’s a released video about the shoot:

Here are more images of the shoot:

If these 2 SlayerS do get it on, will we see the world’s first pro-gamer prodigy?

The End of Days approaches…. Diablo III will be unleashed from the Burning Hells on May 15, 2012, and you can be ready to play the minute the servers go live by pre-purchasing the game digitally on Battle.net today.

Beginning May 15, players around the world will be able to return to Tristram to discover the dark secrets of a fallen star and begin their quest to save Sanctuary from the impending demonic invasion. To secure your place as a barbarian, monk, demon hunter, witch doctor, or wizard right now, simply log in to your Battle.net account, and then purchase and download* Diablo III, and you’ll be ready to play when the game launches.

World of Warcraft players interested in getting Diablo III for free can still get in on the World of Warcraft Annual Pass, but the promotion will be ending at 12:01 a.m. PDT on May 1, 2012. When you sign up for the Annual Pass and make a 1-year commitment to World of Warcraft, you’ll receive a free digital copy of Diablo III, an exclusive World of Warcraft in-game mount (Tyrael’s Charger), as well as access to the upcoming World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria beta test. Learn more at the Annual Pass signup page

For more details on the May 15 release of Diablo III, be sure to hit the official press release, or head to our new Diablo III game page to learn more about the game and pre-purchase your digital copy.

*When you pre-purchase Diablo III, you will be able to download an encrypted version of the game that will be unlocked upon release on May 15.

Dubbed as the “world’s first true fully-realized circumcranial augmented-reality gamification H.U.D”, it has to be said that the item just came out, and tried-and-tested reviews on the item aren’t yet as solid as most reviews are tuned to be.

Initial reactions and spec sheet-based reviews, however, have put the item as either “questionable” or “awesome”, with one faction brining up how pointlessly trivial the accessory is, while another raises different game themes, game genres and gameplay possibilities which the H.U.D. accessory promises to boast.

As a device Razer’s SnakeEyes fall in the heads-up display (H.U.D.) category, facilitating the visual transfer of information direct to a player/user/gamer though the device. Its name is taken from similar equipment used by aircraft pilots known as head-up displays. Where SnakeEyes gets its moniker, is pretty much self explanatory.

SnakeEyes features different “modes”, part of which are S.C.A.N.N.E.R., Nutrient Crafting System, Task Master and Razer Dialogue Option Guidance System (D.O.G.S.).

S.C.A.N.N.E.R. mode gives users visual access to information databases related to different parties, giving them defined skill level information and notes for different parties in social scenarios.

Nutrient Crafting System mode allows user access to information of different food items and/or snacks. With Task Master mode “confusing IRL quest lines are a thing of the past”, designed to help users jot down real life tasks and notes after logging out of a game.

Razer Dialogue Option Guidance Sytem (D.O.G.S.) features quick-responses to different situations and scenarios, helping set wrong responses to more ideal figures.

As a Razer product, SnakeEyes’ construction is made to the tune of the brand’s standards, living up to its “made by gamers, for gamers” tagline. Its April 1st launch has made many think of it as an Aprils Fools gag, but far from it, the item is real.

Any beta testers of the product out there? What say you? Get or forget?

Ever imagined actually doing the stunts on Assasin’s Creed? Jumping on towers and performing acrobatic “finish him” moves? Then this is your time to shine thanks to the Assasin’s Crred for Kinect!

Without further delay, check out the teaser video for it below:

Now if the sight of girls bouncing around and stretching bows and arrows doesn’t make you look, I don’t know what will. Stay tuned for more updates everyone!

If you have ever asked this question before, there has recently been an answer thanks to a showmatch between two of the most decorated female Chinese Starcraft 2 player, ST.Miss and ColaGirl.

For more info on ST.Miss, you can check our blog entry about her joining StarTale here.

ColaGirl on the other hand is the bronze medalist and the recipient of $2,000 in the last Zowie Divina tournament where Quantum Gaming’s “flo” took the silver with $3,000 and oGs.Aphrodite brining home the gold with its $5,000.

After 7 grueling PvZ games played last March 24, 2012, the former esports host edged the Zowie Divina bronze medalist 4-3 proving StarTale’s decision to take her under their wing to be right – at least for this showmatch. ST.Miss took home $475 for her efforts and of course the bragging rights.

I wish I could post a video of the games though but I have yet to find them. If you know where they are, please feel free to share through the comments below.

Forecasted to be well on its way into being one of the most popular for-Andriod OS games, Temple Run has certainly been lucrative for its developers, and remains to be free for users to have.

It’s free? You’d ask. So where does “lucrative for its developers” come in?

Simple. Trading real life currency with virtual, in-game currency.

Making do with the iPhone’s native controls/navigation features, the original iPhone version of Temple Run gathered a strong following, even making it one of the top 50 paid apps during its initial release days. It was sold at 99 cents per copy, with around 40,000 copies sold.

However, its standing eventually began to drop, which then inspired its developers to implement a “business model” that set its price at zero, with in-game virtual currency terms involved.

What happened next was an increase in revenue, with the game garnering 46 million free game download stats. An estimated 1 to 3% of gamers actually got on to spending money on the game.

Different game developers and publishers have given a go in making money from free games. These tactics would include embedded ads, channeled advertising content, and even time-bound gaming sessions which limit gaming sessions with “wait for your next turn” periods.

Temple Run is more direct in its virtual currency business model: the game involves virtual currency which characters have to collect to purchase power-ups or unlock/purchase new characters. If you’re the type of gamer who isn’t patient enough to collect in-game currency, burying virtual currency is a faster way.

The success of the Temple Run has gotten the attention of several developers, quite possibly a flag marking a new system in the release of games, not just for mobile devices, but also for PC and console games.

It works for developers and gamers alike, since the business model calls for the game to be entirely free without any limits, yet allows developers the chance to make money from optional in-game purchases.

Doesn’t this sound too familiar to you?

Though advances in graphics rendering, game control features and gameplay themes have undeniably been ongoing, the core concept behind first person shooter genre games have not really changed all that much, save perhaps one upcoming title highlighting a Shark Week factor to its appeal: Depth.

Utilizing the Unreal Engine 3, Depth is a first person competitive multiplayer “shooter” genre game which was featured in this month’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

What sets it apart from other first person shooters is that in Depth players fight teams underwater, either as a man-eating shark or human divers. The game utilizes “hide-and-seek” tactics where divers give a go in recovering sunken treasure located off the coast of Mexico. Sharks… well, they’re just out to get the divers.

Divers have to be on top of their wits in evading patrolling sharks, utilizing sea-weeds or wrecks as camouflage. Shark players get to experience the sights, smells and sounds of the shark-world, allowing them to track their prey with the faintest of heartbeat sounds.

The human team is made up of three player types with special abilities, including an equipment specialist, an attack specialist and a stealth specialist. The sharks, which are argued to be the more interesting characters in Depth, include options for Great White, Tiger and Mako.

Developed for PC by an indie game developer, no official release date has been set for Depth yet, with its team working on the game for two years running.

Support for the game has been very solid, promising it to be an interesting hit once it its officially released.

So what’ll you be when Depth comes out? Predator or Thief?

Relatively reasonably priced (at an average of $3,000), AVADirect’s Quiet X7 Gaming PC has drawn attention to itself, standing to offer highlight features found in more expensive gaming rigs, at a price that won’t exactly eat up rec-room budgets.

A mid-size gaming PC, the Quiet X79 sports increased graphics rendering features, running 43 fps benchmark rates with Lost Planet 2 and Crysis, with high detail and 4x anti-aliasing settings @ 1920 x 1080 resolutions. Considering that this isn’t a multi-GPU rig, the figures are quite playable.

With an Asus P9X79 mobo and an Intel Core i7-3930K processor (six-core), the Quiet X79 comes with a 120GB solid state drive for Operating System purposes and a 2TB Western Digital drive for data storage purposes. With 16 gigs of RAM, the X79’s mobo allows for four DIMM cards, with support for up to 64 gigs of RAM (max).

Its 850 watt power supply offers solid power distribution, even with additional hardware components plugged into the rig. Four open PCI Express slots allow for further hardware expansions, as four available SATA ports increases the chances of more storage and other SATA-inclined connections.

The rig also comes with a versatile all in one card reader, supporting different media card formats like xD, MS Pro and Duo, CF, MD, SD/MMC and microSD. It also comes with a Blu-ray (BD-RE) drive, enhancing access for Blu-ray optical media formats.

In terms of available ports, the Quiet X79 comes with one HDMI port, two DVI and one display port. With 6 USB 2.0 ports, it also features 4 USB 3.0 ports and two USB/eSATA ports. With support for 8-channel analog audio, the gaming PC also comes with ports for S/PDIF options.

Needless to say, the rig comes with a Gigabit Ethernet port. It does not, however, come with a default Wi-Fi device.

As a gaming PC, the AVADirect Quiet X79 is quite reasonably priced, readily expandable and comes with a three-year warranty guarantee. If you’re on the lookout for a solid option gaming rig, give it a good look-see.

As a non-multi GPU system, it’s got the chops to deliver quality graphics, and should this be a problem, upgrades aren’t really altogether all that difficult.

Cell phones have come a long way since they were first made available about 30 years ago. They’ve gone from being unwieldy, brick-sized monstrosities with limited capabilities to tiny personal computers that can fit in your pocket. Some of the most popular cell phones on the market today are the aptly-named smartphones. These mobile devices may be tiny, but they can do pretty much everything that many desktop and laptop computers can do. Millions of people all over the world have used their iPhones, Androids and Windows phones to do far more than make calls and text their friends. These handy little devices can be used to take photos, record video, keep schedules, record memos, play music, and store large amounts of data. It would seem that a smartphone can do just about everything that a PC can do, and it was only a matter of time before video games were made available for these mobile devices.

Games on cell phones and other mobile devices are nothing new. Simple games like solitaire and the classic snake game have been available on phones and calculators for years. The current crop of smartphone games aren’t like these simple offerings, however. These games are every bit as sophisticated and advanced as the phones on which they are played. While they still aren’t as in depth and complex as the kinds of games that you can play on an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, they have proven to be incredibly popular with smartphone owners everywhere for their addictive gameplay and the kind of graphics usually created by art college graduates.

Perhaps the most popular smartphone game available today is “Angry Birds.” For the few people who have not heard about this game, “Angry Birds” is a physics-based game in which the player launches flightless birds from a giant slingshot at a fortress inhabited by pigs. The goal is to destroy the fortress and the pigs inside it. It’s a simple game, but it is also fun, colorful and addictive enough to have gained popularity worldwide. It was originally available for the iPhone, but versions are now available for the Android and Apple iOS operating systems all for affordable prices. You may even be able to find free versions without much trouble.

Another popular smartphone game among people of all ages is “Brain Challenge.” This collection of more than 20 simple yet fun brain exercises and games is perfect for anyone who wants a great mental challenge. Up to four players can even compete for the highest scores, so it can be a fun way for families to kill some time. “Brain Challenge” is available for between $3 and $5 for Android and iOS smartphones.

“Fruit Ninja” is another endlessly popular and addictive smartphone game. This game makes great use of a smartphone’s touchscreen to challenge players to “slice” fruit with their fingers as it flies across the screen while avoiding accidentally cutting into the bombs that are thrown into the mix. This game is available for the iOS, Android and WP7 operating systems for affordable prices. Bare-bones versions can be downloaded for free.

These are just a few of the countless smartphone games on the market. There are more games being programmed and released all the time for various platforms, so much so that those seeking degrees in video game design should take note and recognize smartphone gaming as the wave of the future.

Sources

AARP (2011)

“The Telegraph” (2012)

Shocking story indeed for esports! The grand daddy of PC esports events itself is going to abandon the PC platform and focus on mobile games only starting WCG 2012! This says a leaked letter to a WCG partner as mentioned by the Cadreg.

A few hours after the shocking news, GameArena got in touch with the Australian WCG representative, Chris “r0cky” Hailes of TLS and the latter confirmed the leaked letter is indeed true!

Did you see this coming? I for one didn’t. Although… For sure there has been signs if you put some thought into what has transpired in WCG 2011 relative to the entire development of the esports scene on the same year.

Clues to WCG’s Move to Mobile ONLY
1.    Did you remember what was the highest paid game on last year’s WCG? Asphalt 6 had a prize pool of $55,000 with the champion walking away with $40,000! That’s twice the prize pool of Starcraft 2 which had the champion walking away with $20,000!

Why is this a significant comparison? Well, since the WCG started, Starcraft has always been its main game and that’s a no brainer being WCG as a Korea based organization and we all know what Starcraft is there. With that fact, and this comparison, we know a brawl somewhere in the WCG top guns had occurred on the subject of changing the organizations focus and clearly, mobile took the win.

2.    Did you remember Valve’s “The International” last year? I’m sure you did! It made Na’Vi $1,000,000 richer for playing DOTA 2! Given the game has 5 players each, that’s a sweet $250,000 for every player of Na’Vi.

Starcraft 2 on the other hand last year only had $87,500.00 as the biggest pay check for 1 event.

So what’s the connection? These 2 games are no doubt huge money earners for esports professionals. In fact, they are huge enough to make WCG’s Starcraft prize pool look like lose change. Naturally, WCG has known competition in the world they have pioneered has become too much to handle.

3.    A very obvious clue, who is the most prominent WCG partner ever since? That’s right folks. Samsung. Sure Samsung has a piece of the PC market as well but if you compare it to the entire pie, they are nothing. Samsung mobile phone share on the other hand is a different story. They are up there with the big boys thanks to a number of successful entries including the Samsung Galaxy series. That said, isn’t it just plain business sense to go ahead in the gaming market where they have a chance? Sure is.

What Now?
For sure PC esports will miss the WCG especially since it has become known as the Olympics of video gaming. However, with MLG and IEM to name a few taking care of what the WCG will be leaving, I’m more than certain PC esports will continue to grow.

For sure thousands are angered or bothered to say the least with the move but I for one think this is unnecessary reactions. If we think about it, this will actually push esports to new and wider grounds as we will see more and more Angry Birds tournaments and other seemingly “easier” games. To conclude, the more the merrier. More female pro-gamers too!

Should we expect more of the video above?

With more that 30 million registered players, League of Legends still stands tall in being one of the most active game titles in the world, with 4 of that 30 million playing a daily average of at least three hours per day.

Developed by Riot Games Inc, the title has grown into a venue where competitive gaming competitions and tournaments are known to prevail and revolve around, as well as a game where professional gamers actually get to earn handsome incomes by doing what love to do best.

A privately held organization (which means that the company does not publicly announce or disclose its finance records and data), Riot Games Inc is a major player in the online games market for virtual goods, with only one game title under its belt, League of Legends.

Its dedicated fanbase has propelled Riot Games Inc and League of Legends to higher highs, with an estimated $14 billion to head its way come 2014, as revealed by the In-Stat research group. In 2010, estimates peg a $7.3 figure on Riot, practically doubling the figure in its future forecast for 2014.

With players based in Germany, Sweden, the UK, South Korea and the United States, a recently held League of Legends tournament in Hanover, Germany gathered 5000 attendees which practically filled up the convention all where the tournament took place. Reports also indicate that apart from the 5000 attendees, there were 3000 more waiting in line to be granted entry. The tournament garnered over 2.2 million online viewers who took the time in viewing a live stream of the five day long tournament.

Riot and League of Legends have stood apart from other multiplayer online battle area game genres, coming as a free to play game that still rakes in enough to define profitable figures for the game developers and players alike.

Geared in fostering new dimensions in e-sports, Riot aims on developing the e-sports arena into how the world generally feels about basketball, soccer or any other conventional sport, with athletes fully engaged and committed in mastering their craft.

With the way things are with League of Legends, Riot just may be able to accomplish that goal.

With long hours and all nighters often experienced by gamers during intense gaming sessions, one would think that energy drinks take a spot in a gamer’s list of must have handy items or some such.

However, study results tell that the friendship shared by gamers and energy drinks is not as solid as on-the-spot assumptions would indicate, as revealed in a study conducted by the University of Utah.

The study notes that the rush, jitters and the eventual crash that comes with drinking energy drinks does a number in a gamer’s hand-eye coordination capacities, weakening a gamer’s focus and negatively affecting gaming performances over time. 50% of the study’s participants were vocal with their dissatisfaction with energy drinks.

In relation to the study, an energy drink known as GungHo comes in, claiming to be the energy drink made to work with gamers.

Dubbed as the “energy shot for the brain”, the drink has been reviewed by Dr Perry Renshaw, Director at the Brain Institute, with Renshaw voicing out that the drink contains natural ingredients which improves focus and concentration, with long term impact on brain energy.

“Contrary to most energy drinks, GungHo doesn’t deal with short-term energy and no lasting impact on brain energy. GungHo will actually increase levels of critical neurotransmitters in the brain over time.” shares Renshaw.

Professional gamer Tanner “Brunson” Williams even advocates GungHo, sharing how the drink helps reduce and eliminate the delay between his wrist/hand movements and his brain. Williams also adds that the drink exponentially enhances his reaction time.

The drink promises faster reactions and no distractions, upsides which any gamer would want to have from an energy drink.

Have you tried playing with GungHo around? Any truth in what it claims to benefit gamers?

This might be a little late but still news nonetheless, Angry Birds Space is now available for the PC, MAC, Android, and iOS! You can buy the game here for €5.95.

This time around, the birds are going after a “mysterious claw” that has taken interest in their beloved eggs only to find themselves sucked in a wormhole that leads to an even stranger galaxy. A galaxy inhabited by “space pigs” of all things! Will they make it on this new and exciting enemy ground? Will their newly found “super powers” save them eggs? That will be for you to find out…

Angry Birds Space Features

1.    New game concepts like “zero gravity”, slow motions to light speed mayhem.
2.    New birds!
3.    New super powers!
4.    Huge SPACE to explore and conquer!
5.    Topped with a new “danger zone” levels full of the most difficult levels ever seen in the series.

If you haven’t seen one of the most amazing game teasers EVER made, then fret no more. Check out the video below and YES, it has been shot in space for everyone’s viewing (and WOWING) pleasure!

That image springs to mind when talking about MAD CATZ team-up with MLG in the release of a pro circuit-class controller for PS3 Xbox 360, dubbed the Pro Circuit Controller.

With the rising popularity of competitive gaming – with online gaming being a huge growth spurt factor – the need for an innovative controller that sates a gamer’s needs AND doesn’t burn holes in a gamer’s wallet has been long yearned for.

MAD CATZ latest controller stands to be that very item, a controller that works with Xbox 360 and PS3 game consoles, configurable to work within the native ecosystems of the two giant game console names.

The controller simply translates to: one controller that works with two different consoles.

It also comes with its own accessories, which means that it’s a gaming accessory that comes with its own line of accessories.

From ProCables, FacePlate Kits (mostly for aesthetic purposes), and even FightPad Pro Modules, users can make use of add-on Analog Cap Packs and Analog Stick Spacers with the controller.

With solid construction features considered in the mix, the controller is made to last and outlast, designed to live up to the rough handling conditions accessories of its class are often subjected to.

Though it has to be said that the controller and its accessories don’t come cheap, the available add-ons and accessories, plus its “universal” console support, negates the need for gamers to purchase individual accessories for each console and/or game type out there.

Think this “accessories for gaming accessories” bit will go mainstream in the industry soon?

SteelSeries, a leader in the development and production of professional gaming peripherals, continues to be at the forefront of the industry, adamant in providing gamers with gaming gear that works for them and not the other way around.

Initiating the SteelSereis Design by Gamers campaign in 2011, SteelSeries continues to work with gamers in the development of quality gaming gear this year, announcing that attendees and professionals present during the Major League Gaming (MLG) Winter Championship will get to share and cooperate with the brand in the development of newer, more relevant gaming-inclined mouse and keyboard layouts/designs.

Last year, the brand’s Kana Mouse (orange and black) was borne from the SteelSeries Design by Gamers campaign. This year, SteelSeries continues to strengthen the professional gaming arena by proactively gaining design insight and input from the very consumers who’ll be using the brand’s offered wares.

“MLG Winter Championship attendees will be asked what features, functionality and designs they prefer. What better way to understand exactly what the MLG gamers, audience and fans want out of their peripherals than by asking them first hand?” shares Kim Rom, CMO, SteelSeries.

SteelSeries will setup kiosks during the MLG Winter Championship, where attendees get to answer different questions in relation to the functionality, design and overall form which define superior professional gaming gear from the rest. Different SteelSeries goodies are also in store for MLG Winter Championship participants who’ll take active participation in the brand’s design development survey.

Likened as the “BMW” or “Ferrari” of competitive gaming gear, SteelSeries extends a wide range of products, from keyboards, mice, gaming surfaces, headsets and more.

The brand has also been a pillar for different competitive gaming tournaments and events, offering team sponsorships and overall community support for different events and activities happening all over the globe.

Its SteelSeries Design by Gamers campaign brings it to a “hands-on”, grassroots level, in providing quality gaming equipment that works for gamers, and not the other way around.

Come April 3, 2012, a new take in the Star Wars’ gaming franchise will go mainstream, highlighting the “controller-free” environment with the use of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Kinect.

Both Star Wars fans and Kinect advocates will gain new dimensions in the “Jedi experience” with Kinect Star Wars, unleashing the inner Jedi from players – with no controller involved.

Following up on the Star Wars’ franchise’s reputation for stunning visuals and enhanced graphics, Kinect Star Wars brings iconic characters and alien world to life. The manning of ships and vehicles will surely be new experiences for Kinect Star Wars gamers, as the aspect of physical play will bring “use the force” to more true-to-life undertones.

The soon to be released Kinect Star Wars is the first Star Wars game to come with no controller, and features game-play environments for single or two-players. Force Moves and Lightsaber combat are among its gameplay highlights, and as an Xbox 360 game, the possibility of multi-player modes would already go without saying.

Multi-player competitive, duel and co-op modes are supported by Kinect Star Wars, which draws inspiration from all of the six released Star Wars movies.

With authentic Star Wars environments, creatures and enemies, Kinect Star Wars features Jedi Destiny: Dark Side Rising, Podracing, Galactic Dance Off, Duels of Fate and Rancor Rampage.

A product developed by Lucasarts, the game’s development is made in collaboration with Microsoft’s famed hands-free Kinect controller for the Xbox 360. With a T (Teen) ESRB Content Rating, Kinect Star Wars is one game which can be enjoyed by different ages, offering a truly immersed gaming experience into the Star Wars Universe.

For Kinect players and Star Wars fans, here’s one game to sate your gaming drives.

BioWare’s Mass Effect 3 recently led slews of comments and reactions from fans.

Though no specific mudslinging or commentaries have been thrown towards the game’s gameplay variables or game in-game features, the game’s ending is what many are not all that happy about, with protests telling BioWare to do a redo of the game’s ending.

The subject isn’t really what one can describe as new or a first in gaming history, but the activities and follow ups do bear a message coming from fans; we are serious. Do a retake of Mass Effect 3’s ending.

A “Retake Mass Effect” petition is one example, which was initiated by fans and has recently donated more than $67,000 to the Child’s Play charity. The act was done in the hopes of getting BioWare’s attention in redoing the third Mass Effect’s ending to more satisfying undertones.

So far, BioWare’s stance is: “We are actively and seriously taking all player feedback into consideration and have ruled nothing out. At this time we are still collecting and considering your feedback and have not made a decision regarding requests to change the ending.”

BioWare was founded in 1995 in Canada, currently owned by the USA-based Electronic Arts (EA Games). It is one of the longest running known game developer names, with game titles including Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights.

The Mass Effect trilogy is a series of sci-fi oriented action RPG games with the first Mass Effect coming out in 2007. Its popularity has led to spin offs, including Mass Effect paperbacks and comic books, with announced plans of film adaptation releases to be made.

The latest Mass Effect, Mass Effect 3, was released on March 6 this year, and so far, its ending has put a lot of attention towards the game and on BioWare.

Have you tried playing Mass Effect 3? Is the ending really that bad?

Gamers will surely find reasons to smile about with V3’s Salvo Gaming PC, a budget friendly, gaming performance enhanced rig which delivers strong points in the PC gaming arena.

Starting at $599, the initial configuration of the rig comes with an NVIDA GeForce GTX 550 Ti graphics processing unit, a liquid cooled Intel Core i3-2100, an Intel H61 mobo, 4 gigs of RAM (DDR3 1333 Mhz), and a 500w continuous power supply/regulator.

With a self-contained Asetek LCLC cooling system, users can easily run the rig for extended periods of time without risk for system blowups, and with NVIDA technology running the CPU’s visual output, gameplay experiences are certain to be beyond average.

The V3 Salvo 3D convention has become a top choice for most gamers, with the rig running on an Intel Core i5-2500K processor (with overclock frequencies reaching 4.7Ghz),  along with the implementation of Intel’s Smart Response Technology, in utilizing a solid state drive (32GB) as cache/buffer for a 1 terabyte mechanical HDD.

Generally tagged somewhere between $1,100 to  1,200, the V3 Salvo 3D configuration easily handles 125.7 frames per second for most games, powered by an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti GPU. The GTX 560 comes with its own HDMI Port, along with two DVI ports for optional user use.

Clean and no-nonsense in its construction, the V3’s internals are well organized, allowing users easy maneuverability and access to the rig’s innards, wires, ports and plugs.

All in all, its overall performance and price makes it stellar as a gamer’s PC option, minus perhaps factored in Blu-Ray support features.

In most cases, games are built on elements of adventure, fantasy, and action, utilized and implemented by developers in coming out with endearing game titles and franchises which generations can enjoy as recreational (or even professional) activities.

A traumatic childhood is not known for being an ingredient in the development of a game, but for the upcoming Papo & Yo for the PS 3, the traumatic childhood experience of its lead designer comes as a crucial contributor in its making.

Growing up with a father suffering from severe alcoholism, Vander Caballero (Papo & Yo designer), makes use of his childhood demons in creating the Papo & Yo adventure/puzzle game environment. A product of the Montreal-based Minority game-development house, the game is supported by the Sony Pub Fund, which was setup and made to offer financial support for SME-class game developers.

The game puts players in the world of Quico, a boy who has to save the life of his monster/creature-like friend named Monster. The primary bit of the game is that Monster, the lead character’s friend, needs to eat these toxic frogs for survival. Quico, being the good friend that he is, needs to feed Monster so he may not starve.

But as the toxic frogs have their sustainable effects, they also bring out Monster’s violent side, which means that: no toxic frog equals to Monster’s overall friendliness with Quico and too much makes Monster become this terrible violent creature.

In essence the game is about taking control of the variables which make monsters out of friends. It touches up on the substance abuse and addiction aspect of today’s signs of the times, which is undeniably happening in households everywhere in the world.

“When you’re living with an addicted person, you’re always struggling to save them, knowing deep inside that there’s nothing you can do.” shares Caballero. “We protect others with the desire that our protection of them will reflect back on us. That’s the struggle I want to bring to players.”

In essence, the game is made to spread the message that videogames aren’t all about winning or losing. It hopes to define that though challenging videogames do level up a player’s gaming skills, the advantage of learning how to deal with everyday life from  a game has certain points worth noting.

As videogames are more and more becoming elements and fixtures of everyday life, the game’s premise proves to have some merits.

Think this trend will ever catch up with today’s popular game titles?

Got this clip from 9Gag.com. If I did this NOW (as in now that I’m married with a great kid to boot), I doubt I’d still be around typing this message and sharing this awesome new clip! lolz

I’m sure many have done the same on various games and levels though. In “my time”, I skipped quite a few meals just to hone my skills in Brood War. Ended up in the hospital a couple of times than needed. Even had a girlfriend skip meals waiting for my games to end. Crazy days!

I’m sure you’ve done something like this yourself. Please feel free to share on the comments section below.

When it comes to RPG games, Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo franchise remains to be among the top listed game in any known listing, even identified as pivotal in the development of the overall RPG gaming genre.

But you already know this.

You’ve also probably heard of a Diablo III on the works, officially announced on June 2008 during the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational in Paris, France.

Come May 15, 2012, roughly four years after its initial announcement, Diablo III will be officially released in Europe and in North America.

To come in Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X versions, the third Diablo will retain its horror-fantasy inclinations, and will still bear its action-packed, hack-slash theme. Rated M by ESRB standards, the game follows up on Diablo II’s storyline, taking place some 20 years after. Familiar places like Tristram and the Sanctuary will be featured in the third Diablo installment.

Diablo III highlights 5 new character classes, with Witch Doctor, Barbarian, Wizard, Monk and Demon Hunter.

Bearing similarities with Diablo II’s character types, Diablo III’s Demon Hunter will be reminiscent of Diablo II’s Assassin and Amazon class characters. The Witch Doctor character can be likened with Diablo II’s Necromancer, while the Barbarian will remain to be his jolly barbaric self. Diablo III’s Wizard is Diablo II’s Sorceress equivalent, as the Monk character, a relatively new character, will feature specialty-melee attacks with martial arts being the character’s bit.

In terms of system requirements, the game’s minimum requirements includes Windows XP-driven rigs, run by either a 2.4GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.8GHz Intel Pentium D, or AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ processors. A minimum 1GB of RAM is required (1.5GB for Windows Vista and/or 7), and 16 Gigs of hard drive space should be allocated for the game to run. GPU’s with at least 256GB memory won’t have problems running the game, working with either NVIDIA or ATi Radeon GPUs.

All in all, the wait for Diablo III is nearly over.

If DeviantArt is the Facebook equivalent for artists and graphic designers, MeetaGamer (www.meetagamer.com) is one of the most active gamer-inclined social networks prowling in cyberspace’s realms.

Known for being the first social network of its class to come with support for different gaming console platforms, MeetaGamer is one venue where hobbyist and professional gamers can meet and interact with each other, link up on different e-sports tournament updates, gain insight on the latest of video game releases and video game technologies, and participate in gamer forum discussions, gamer polls and gamer surveys.

With its enhanced and well organized sections and sub-sections, MeetaGamer highlights interactive chat/discussion features, along with support for media uploading and viewing. Tuned to sate social network expectations, MeetaGamer also supports member profile customizations, giving members an edge in personalizing their profiles to whatever tune they wish to do so.

Designed and developed by Hitstudios.net, MeetaGamer allows members to ask questions to other members, or to raise questions in the social network’s game-categorized sections. Its forums, forum sections and forum subsections are well moderated, with administrators quick in doing away with irrelevant posts and commentaries, keeping discussions real, relevant and on the same page.

With an active network of PC gamers, Wii gamers, Playstation 3 gamers, and Xbox 360 gamers, the game titles often discussed and featured by MeetaGamer includes Battlefield 3, NHL12, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Madden 12, FIFA Soccer 12, Gears of War 3, Forza Motorsort, Elder Scrolls V, Skyrim, Halo Reach and more.

The site comes with support for mobile browsers, with increased features for Android-driven gadgets. Membership to MeetaGamer is free of charge, while a Premium Membership Category is an option for those who wish to gain more highlights and features from MeetaGamer.

If you feel like you’re missing out in your social network fix, give MeetaGamer a go. It just may be your newest hangout, where fellow gamers will certainly welcome you with open arms.

This is a sure WTF moment near the level of Daigo’s “The Beast is Unleashed” in e-sports! 1 .50 caliber shot gets 5 headshots! Holy! Even if you line up 5 CS players, I strongly doubt you can achieve such a feat easily with whatever weapon you would prefer but here, NaVi markeloff had the devil on his side winning a round instantly by headshotting 5 SK (and believe me, SK’s CS team isn’t exactly a pushover to say the least). For goodness sake I barely even SAW the SK players on the video! Just sick!

Product Highlights of the RAIDMAX AGUSTA

• Gundam aesthetic design
• Separate storage of six 3.5”/2.5” HDDs at the bottom
• Additional internal 2.5” HDD support
• Supports ATX/m-ATX motherboards
• Seven fans: three 80mm and four 120mm
• Pre-routed cable management
• Easy access I/O panel with fan speed and LED brightness adjustment control
• MSRP: $119.99
• Available in the USA & Canada in May

Press Release archive and images:
http://www.globalpr.com.tw/press-room/raidmax/
Find GlobalPR announcements on Facebook:
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Impressive Cooling and Tool-less Features All Wrapped Up in a Gundam Themed Chassis

March 15, 2012, L.A., California, U.S.A. – RAIDMAX, a computer chassis provider, is pleased to announce a Gundam themed chassis with an unique HDD storage design. Designed for ATX and m-ATX motherboards, the AGUSTA is ideal for gamers seeking an aesthetically striking chassis with numerous tool-less features and impressive cooling.

Striking Front Shield with LED Illumination
In front of the five 5.25” bays with pop-off panels is the Gundam themed armor-shield. Opening like a door, this front shield gives the AGUSTA a visually striking appearance. When complemented by the front and top LED illuminated fans, the AGUSTA adds unmatched flash and appeal to your system.

Two Compartments Separating HDDs and the Rest of Your Hardware
The upper compartment holds all your essential hardware including, the motherboard, power supply, two 2.5” SSDs, and up to five 5.25” drives. With the HDDs out of the way, the AGUSTA can house the longest VGA cards on the market. Future expandability is not a problem with the seven PCI slots, and the RAIDMAX AGUSTA even supports water-cooling with three rubber protected holes on the back panel.

Located underneath the main compartment, the HDD bay supports up to six 3.5” or 2.5” HDDs. The HDD bay is easily accessible from both sides. With a simple pinch of the access tabs the honeycombed bottom side panel opens. The HDD trays tool-lessly slide out, allowing users to easily screw their HDD or SSD into the tray. Rubber protected holes on the ceiling of the drive bay makes it easy to connect all the wires to the motherboard in the upper compartment.

Exceptional Cooling
With the separation of the HDD bay and seven fans in total, the AGUSTA is guaranteed to keep your system cool. The front 120mm LED illuminated fan is specially designed to blow directly on the VGA card. More fans helping to circulate air unobstructed through the top compartment include: dual top 120mm LED illuminated fans and a rear 120mm fan. In the bottom compartment, which solely houses the HDD bays, one front 80mm and two rear 80mm fans ensure optimal running temperatures for your HDDs and SSDs.

Adding even more cooling capabilities, the honeycombed ventilation design on the bottom compartment and the stylish ventilation area on the tool-lessly removable side panel lets excess heat easily escape.

Cable Management
Out of the box, the AGUSTA provides pre-routed cable management for all the fans, LEDs, USBs, and audio connections. For your other wires, rubber protected holes let you guide all the cables to the roomy 25mm space behind the motherboard keeping your system neat and organized.

Easily Accessible Connectivity with Adjustable Controls
Equipped with the standard USB 3.0, USB 2.0 slots, audio and microphone connections, the AGUSTA’s I/O panel, located at the top of the chassis, also comes with two control knobs allowing you to adjust fan speed and LED brightness.

Specifications:

For more information please visit:
http://www.raidmax.com/chassis/agusta.html

About RAIDMAX

RAIDMAX was founded in 1988. The brand became well-known in early 2003 with its debut of the “Scorpio” PC chassis – the very first in the industry focusing purely on gamers. RAIDMAX’s core-competence in offering price-performance PC cases makes the brand top seller on many online shops in North America, Asia and Europe. RAIDMAX dedicates itself in designing innovative and exceptional PC chassis, in addition to providing the best cost-effective solutions to meet users’ requirements. Visit the RAIDMAX website at: http://raidmax.com.

Product Highlights

• Total output power 70 watts (RMS)
• Wooden cabinet subwoofer with powerful heart-thumping bass
• Curvaceous satellite speakers with metal driver
• Adjustable volume and bass controls
• Easy access headphone and microphone jack for private chatting and listening
• Two input jacks for PC/TV/DVD/Game devices
• MSRP: US$119.99

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http://www.globalpr.com.tw/press-room/genius/
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Genius SW-G2.1 3000 Gaming Speakers With Tremendous Bass Now Available in the USA & Canada

New Powerful Hi-End 2.1 Speaker System for GX Gaming Series

March 13, 2012, Taipei, Taiwan – Genius, a leading manufacturer of computer peripherals, today announces their biggest and baddest GX Gaming Series 2.1 speaker system yet – the SW-G2.1 3000.

Raising the GX Gaming Series to a new level, this 70 watt RMS speaker system includes the GX series loudest subwoofer at 6.5-inches providing 40 watts of heart-thumping bass, two 15 watt curvaceous satellite speakers, and a separate control box for easy adjustment of volume and bass. The subwoofer, speakers, and control box can be placed to maximize the acoustics and layout of any room while still having volume and bass control at your fingertips.

Using 3-inch metal cones, the SW-G2.1 3000 satellite speakers play middle to high range audio vividly and vibrantly. The audio from the satellite speakers complement the deep, rich bass of the wooden cabinet subwoofer pounding out frequencies as low as 35Hz. Able to achieve high volumes at low distortion, the Genius SW-G2.1 3000 speaker system can help keep the party going all night as well as provide the full spectrum of sound for games, movies and music.

Not only does the control box make volume and bass adjustments simple and easy no matter where the speakers are located, but on the front it has a headphone and microphone jack for private listening and chatting while gaming. The rear of the control box includes more connections, increasing the flexibility of the SW-G2.1 3000. The 3.5mm standard input allows for instant hookup to PCs and external audio devices such as MP3/CD players, and the two RCA jacks are designed for connections to game consoles, DVD players and TVs.

Offering booming bass, crisp middle to high range sound, and the flexibility to connect to gaming, music, and other entertainment devices, the SW-G2.1 3000 speaker system epitomizes the high-quality that the GX Gaming Series represents in a louder more versatile design.

Package Contents:

• Subwoofer
• Two satellite speakers
• Controller
• Two audio cables
• Multi-language user’s manual

Technical Specifications:

• Total output power: 70 watts
  • Satellite: 15 watts (each channel)
  • Subwoofer: 40 watts
• Driver unit
  • Satellite: 3-inch, 4 ohm
  • Subwoofer: 6.5-inch, 8 ohm
• Frequency Response: 35Hz~20K HZ
• Signal-to-noise: 85dB

Product photos are available at:
http://www.geniusnet.com/wSite/ct?xItem=51785&ctNode=3607&mp=1

Complete GX gaming series available at:
http://www.geniusnet.com/wSite/np?ctNode=3603&mp=1

Check out GX Gaming Series YouTube Video:

About Genius

Genius is a leading international brand in computer peripherals. Established by KYE Systems Corp. in 1983, Genius offers PC products including computer mice, keyboards, web and security cameras, speakers, gaming peripherals, remote controls, headphones, digital cameras, digital camcorders and digital photo frames. The Genius consumer electronics range includes mobile phone accessories, Bluetooth headsets and iPod speakers. For six consecutive years, beginning in 2005, Genius was recognized as one of Taiwan’s Top 20 Global Brands. For more information, you can visit the Genius website at www.geniusnet.com.

The Genius company profile video.

The words “gamer” and “institute” are not often found next to each other, but in no way is its pairing an impossibility, as the Australia-based Gamer Institute would illustrate.

Founded by Semin Nurkic, Bosco Tan and Daniel Grzelak, the Gamer Institute is an educational platform made for gamers, helping amateur or hobbyist e-sports players level up in playing against professionals the field.

Primarily an online-hosted learning center, the Gamer Institute brings game masters and apprentices together, with pro-gaming advice, equipment/gear tips, and shared strategies at the center of such meetings. With hosted one on one lessons, professional e-sports hopefuls gain detailed insight over the challenges faced by the pros, with input from mentors who are based in different parts of the globe.

Committed in making competitive gaming accessible to everyone and not just to a small-in-number but devoted few, the Gamer Institute is currently focused on League of Legends, but has announced plans to add five additional game titles before the end of the year.

The Gamer Institute highlights three membership types, the Registered Member Category ($0 monthly fee), the Gold Member Category (monthly fee of $10 or less) and the Platinum Member Category (monthly fee of $28 or less).

Registered members can schedule coaching lessons, view blog entries, watch and contribute videos, as well as receive newsletters. Both Gold and Platinum Members are entitled to the features Registered members have access to, with plus features for each membership category.

Both Gold and Platinum members have access to comment on blog content, access to participate in forum discussions and debates, and can even maintain a blog of their own. Gold members can view the complete video archive of a game, while Platinum members get to view the complete video archive of all games.

If you feel that volumes of instruction is missing in your pilgrimage towards professional gaming, the Gamer Institute has great news for you!

Highlighting quality headsets, keyboards, mice and gaming surfaces, SteelSeries’ products have likened the brand to be the “Ferrari” or “BMW” of professional gaming equipment and gear, with a reputation for offering only the best for serious, no-nonsense e-gamers.

Take SteelSeries’ 7G Keyboard, for example.

The 7G Keyboard – High Performance and Beyond

SteelSeries’ 7G Keyboard is not only the product of innovative technologies put into action, but is also a standard maker in the development and release of gaming-inclined input devices.

With quick reaction times at the top of its notable roster of features, the 7G keyboard brings advanced key combinations closer to users, built to do away with “anti-ghosting” commands and controls.

With the 7G keyboard, users can easily issue different commands simultaneously, leading to faster crouching, aiming, firing and check-stat commands in first person shooter games.

Made with 18-karat gold-plated switches, the 7G boasts a switch lifetime of 50 million operations, which is rated to be 10 times more compared to the 1-to-5 million clicks of generic membrane-type keyboards.

Designed in collaboration with the input of hundreds of gamers, gaming experiences with the 7G is brought to higher highs, leaving users to be at their best of skill levels, without compromising gaming performances.

Coming with USB and PS/2 plug-ports, the 7G keyboard features SteelSeries Media Controls for extended functionality, and also features two USB ports which doubles the 7G keyboard as a USB Hub. It also comes with a built-in microphone-in and audio-out jack, making it easier for users to plug in gaming headsets.

Ergonomically designed, the 7G is built with iron-infused plastic, making it a durable and comfortable keyboard for professional gamers to use.

With is known contributions in the growth and development of electronic sports, gaming communities and professional competitions and tournaments, SteelSeries is one brand which gamers trust, not just because of its line of quality products, but also for its active involvement in professional gaming circuits, competitions and tournament runs.

As accidents, injuries and emergencies can happen anytime and anywhere in any given situation, gaming isn’t without its own list of known injuries.

Pegged in line with computer related injuries, here two of the many injuries related with long-term gaming, with some points worth considering in staying clear from the dangers and risks related to gaming.

Repetitive Strain Injury

Many gamers suffer from Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) mostly because of repetitive body motions/movements and equipment use when in-game.

It may not seem to be all that of a risk or all that of an injury, but pain experienced by carpal tunnel syndrome caused by RSI is no joking matter, debilitating gamers not just in enjoying their games, but in using their hands in everyday life.

As a rule, proper posture helps reduce the onset of RSI, given that the human body isn’t naturally designed to sit for most of the day. Getting comfortable chairs or any equipment designed for long term computer use may lessen the onset of RSI, but it is in no way an assurance in veering RSI cases away.

Once your body tells you that it’s stressed, strained and/or tired, it pays to just stop playing, even if you’re winning. What’s more important? Winning a challenge or living with pain all through your life?

Eyestrain

When a person keeps on focusing his/her eyes at a given point for durations at a time, fatigue happens, with eyestrain being one of its more predominant outcomes.

The eye is naturally inclined to see subjects/objects from a six meter vantage point, and keeping it focused on something closer tends to put pressure on eye muscles. Indictors of eyestrain include blurred vision, with the inability to focus on objects from a distance.

In reducing the onset of eyestrain and other eye related injuries, ensure that your monitor’s screen is reasonably positioned at a distance that doesn’t cause discomfort. Occasionally looking away from your screen also helps reduce eyes from being overstressed, and adjusting your monitor’s brightness and contrast values to suit your eye’s comfort also helps.

Regular physical checkups are important to have, in reducing the complications related to any body disorders. For gamers who spend hours huddled over computers and/or consoles, heeding the advice of doctors is very important in keeping the dangers of compounded cases built up from RSI and/or Eyestrain.

Press the pause button gamer. Your character may gain back lost health points by picking up medkits or health packs, but your real body doesn’t heal that way.

Be Part of Philippine Gaming History and Soar With the Aguilas!

With its fast and unstoppable growth, League of Legends has become one of the most recognizable games not only in local cafes, but in international events as well. Filled with avid gamers with an unquenchable thirst for challenges, we’ll be taking the game a step further and give you the chance to face some of the best League of Legends players from all over the world!

We bring you Team Aguilas a professional eSports club whose roster will include some of the best Pinoy League of Legends players. Aside from fame and the respect to be earned from the Philippine League of Legends community, its members will also get the royal treatment for representing the country through monthly cash benefits, a rigorous training regimen to further hone their skills, and support from sponsors who have made a commitment to further develop eSports in the country.

A study conducted by Paul J.C. Adachi, M.A. (PhD candidate, Brock University, Canada) reveals that competitive video games may lead to high aggression levels, which could lead to a variety of real life issues, problems and causes for concern.

In one experiment, Adachi tested 32 male and 28 female college students, letting them play either, Mortal Kombat VS DC Universe, Left 4 Dead 2, Marble Blast Ultra or Fuel. The heart rate of each participant was recorded before and during playing a chosen game.

The game playing phase of the experiment was followed by a “taste test”, in which the participants were informed was a different test for another study. The test required participants to pick a selection between four hot sources, which were arranged in an ascending least hot to hottest order.

The test revealed that the subjects who opted for Mortal Kombat VS DC Universe and Fuel were more akin to hotter hot sauce, compared to those who went with Left 4 Dead 2 and Marble Blast Ultra. Their heart rates were also significantly higher.

“These findings suggest that the level of competitiveness in video games is an important factor in the relation between video games and aggressive behavior, with highly competitive games leading to greater elevations in aggression than less competitive games.” Adachi shares.

What do you think?

If you’ve played Mortal Kombat VS DCU and Fuel, you know how highly competitive and violent these games can get.

Think there’s some truth in competitive games bringing out the aggressive side of gamers?

In affirming that it is not lacking in skilled and qualified fighting game players, Toronto’s first EVO sanctioned tournament – TORYUKEN – will take place in the Hyatt Regency Toronto on May 19 – May 20, 2012.

Organized by TorontoTopTiers, EVO Points-hungry contenders from in and out of Toronto will be required a pre-registration fee of $30 (which will be active within a month before the tournament proper) or a $35 door fee to participate in TORYUKEN, and will also be required to bring their own controllers/sticks.

TORYUKEN spectators will be required an entrance fee of $20, which covers entrance access to the event for the weekend. The fee also comes with a wristband for spectator identification purposes, and spectators are not allowed to participate in any of the tournament’s games, with sanctions for breaking any other spectator rule to be enacted upon should any be broken.

To date, no formal TORYUKEN itinerary has been released, as its official release is expected to come one month before the set TORYUKEN tournament dates.

Often referred to as EVO, the Evolution Championship Series is an annually held video game tournament focused on fighting games. It is one of the two most prestigious tournaments of its class in the world, and is noted for being the premier fighting game tournament in the United States.

EVO 2012 is set to happen on July 6 – July 8, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As a part of Road to EVO, TORYUKEN will provide EVO Seed points for Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition – Version 2012, Mortal Kombat 9, King of Fighters 13, Soul Calibur 5, Ultimate Marvel VS Capcom 3, and Street Fighter X Tekken, with EVO Point distributions set at: 1st-50 Points, 2nd-25 Points, 3rd-10 Points, 4th to 16th -1 point.

Super Battle Opera (SBO) intends to expand its game span horizons this year, adding console-only games into the coming SBO tournament lineup.

To include Soul Calibur 5, SBO’s addition of the title comes as great news for Soul Calibur fans who will get the chance to test their mettles against their fellow Soul Calibur masters. As SBO traditionally adds or reshuffles games every other year, the tournament organizers’ decision to include Soul Calibur 5 this year marks the beginning of a newer, more dynamic category which will surely draw a lot of attention.

Rumors are also up and about regarding SBO’s inclusion of Street Fighter X Tekken this year, but no solid confirmation has yet to be announced.

The move to include Soul Calibur 5 has gained a number of positive responses and reactions, not only coming from console-only gamers, but from all fighting game fans, heralding the exiting possibilities which can be anticipated from this year’s tournament.

2012 marks the 10th installment of SBO, which is also known as the Arcadia Cup Tournament. Hosted by the Arcadia magazine, the tournament is annually held in Japan, and is known to involve different tournaments for different fighting games.

The tournament generally starts on April with qualifying rounds, and trails on to its finals in Tokyo, typically held in August. It falls in as one of the world’s most prestigious fighting game tournaments, one of the two, the other being EVO.

Not only participated by Japanese professional gamers, SBO also has its history of Americans and Europeans taking part in events, defining it as an international venue for the most competitive of players to be in.

Think your hand in Soul Calibur’s pretty good? Prove it by signing in SBO this year!

It has to be said that professional gaming and e-game competitions aren’t exactly anything new, but it also has to be said that the arena isn’t one that is stagnant with no new contenders joining in the ranks of those already in-the-game passionate gamers and professional players.

As such, professional gaming circuits and runs have their share of active participants and reigning champions, with different organized events witnessing matches which fall in the ranks of “epic proportions”.

Here are three of the most often noted milestones in professional gaming history.

Diago Umehara VS Justin Wong – Street Fighter III: Third Strike during the EVO World Championship Finals, Pomona, California 2004

At its peak, the recorded match video between Diago VS Justin in Third Strike garnered over 20 million views, deeming it as the “most-watched competitive gaming moment of all time”. Heralded to capture the very essence which fuels the drives and passions in competitive gaming, the match (with one specific 37 second long scene) isn’t just about professional gamers being at the top or their game, nor onlookers gawking at the players’ skills.

It unifies all gamers in the sportsmanship, a lesson which humbles and takes pride in the competitive aspect of professional gaming.

Diago Umehara came out “the last man standing” during the match, but didn’t leave Justin Wong in the dark, after the competition’s wake.

Jaedong VS Flash – StarCraft: Brood War: Korean Air OSL2, Shanghai, China, 2010

Lee Jae Dong and Lee “Flash” Young Ho had met in previous tournaments, but it was in the 2010’s Korean Air OSL2 where the two turned heads their way.

Being among the few Golden Mouse status recipients, the match between Jaedong and Flash was the first OSL Finals to happen outside Korea, which contributed to the hype over it.

In the end, Flash garnered the OSL Golden Mouse status, as well as being the second player to win both OSL and MSL finals within the same season.

Cypher VS Cooller – Quake Live: QuakeCon 2010 Finals, Dallas, Texas, 2010

As masters of their game, Alexey “Cypher” Yanushevsky and Anton “Cooller” Singov competed in grace and style, in a classic scene of a veteran VS a passionate advocate.

Cypher, being five years younger than Cooller, felt that he was fighting against his idol, and the match got onlookers unsure of which player to fight for, the “established master” or the “on-the-rise rookie”.

In the end, Cypher got to claim his second QuakeCon title, awarded after one of the most intense, fast paced and most aggressive matches ever recorded.

So what do you think? Think you’ve got what it takes to make your own milestone in professional gaming history?

Anyone who has spent time on the professional gaming circuit knows that conventional mouse and keyboards don’t really hold a candle against their enhanced-for-gaming counterparts.

Though these are not sure-fire guarantees for superior gameplaying skill and experiences, the use of professional gaming input devices for computer systems – like those offered by Cyber Snipa – prove to be plus-factors in themselves, edges which allow professional gamers more room to outperform and outlast competitors and challengers.

Here’s a quick look at Cyber Snipa’s Game Pad V2 gaming keyboard and Silencer gaming mouse, must have weapons for any gamers’ arsenal array.

Game Pad V2 – perfectly made to match FPS games and gamers, Cyber Snipa’s Game Pad V2 is designed for precision control, doing away with the control-downside often encountered when using conventional keyboards in gaming tournaments and conventions.

Straightforward and easy to configure and use, the device promotes optimum gaming space configurations, and works well with either left or right handed gamers. Keys are intuitively laid out on the Game Pad V2, negating learning curve considerations, allowing gamers to ante up on what matters: come out the last man standing.

All in all, gaming skills are brought to their highest levels with Game Pad V2, which doesn’t cramp users’ styles even with extended use.

Silencer – As an essential entry in any gamer’s arsenal, the Silencer is Cyber Snipa’s enhanced and customizable gaming mouse, with macro technology, unmatched performance and handling benefits, with shape shifting/adjusting benefits for enhanced style and user comfort.

Professional gamers can easily store up to 63 commands in the Silencer Gaming Mouse, with 7 different gaming profiles indicated with unique LED light colors. With 9 customizable buttons, users can adjust the mouse’s DPI range between 100 to 5000 DPI, with on-the-fly switching of up to 4 custom resolution settings.

Users can also adjust the device to weigh as ideally as possible (max weight up to 2.4 grams), perfectly setting the gaming mouse to slide and glide on surfaces with its superior ceramic feet finish.

Still struggling with your standard mouse and keyboard combo?

Raise the stakes with Cyber Snipa’s Game Pad V2 and Silencer.

It’s over! After 5 games with an epic game 5 on Crossfire, MvP_DongRaeGu wins his first GSL!

More updates to come!

Fighting game enthusiasts will find Hori’s new line of announced arcade sticks for fighting games as great news, the perfect complementary controllers for immersed arcade fighting game experiences to be.

Hori’s Fighting Edge and Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown arcade sticks will be exclusively available via Horistore, and they are expected to be available come May this year.

Here’s a quick look at Hori’s latest arcade sticks.

Hori’s Fighting Edge (and Fighting Edge EX) – Developed with versions for the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles, Hori’s new Fighting Edge boasts Hori’s new design and function take on levers and buttons, a step up from taking control and use lessons from previous Hori controller devices.

Developed and designed to match with the standard button configurations required by/from most fighting games, PS3 console versions of the new arcade stick are dubbed as Fighting Edge, and versions for Xbox 360 consoles bear the Fighting Edge EX handle.

Hori’s Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown – With a button layout based on the Sega Lindbergh Universal Cabinet, Hori’s Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown arcade stick is available exclusively for PS3 consoles.

Essentially, the Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown arcade stick is an enhanced version of Hori’s Real Arcade Pro, and is expected to be made with parts by Sanwa Denshi.

Hori is famed for the creation of engaging arcade sticks, a peripheral device company that specializes in the enhanced-for-arcade-style-gaming arena. The brand’s Real Arcade Pro line has been the subject of a lot of acclaim, and the future release of its new arcade sticks promises to reward Hori’s avid followers with dynamic arcade gaming experiences.

In a few months’ time, Hori’s Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown and Fighting Edge will bring arcade fighting games closer to home.

Will you be bringing that experience to yours?

Microsoft’s Kinect made a name for itself in 2010, bringing gaming standards to a higher state by featuring hands free navigation and control functionality in games and in in-game ecosystems.

Utilizing advanced camera technologies in the detection and interpretation of movement as commands, the input device for Xbox 360 consoles records 18 million units sold as of 2011, and is famed for getting in the Guinness World Record as the Fastest Selling Consumer Electronic Device.

Also capable of picking up and understanding voice commands, Microsoft’s Kinect is a versatile controller which works well with different game genres, with a specialty emphasis on sports-oriented games.

With a number of available for-Kinect class games, the input device promises to be a worthy add-on for Xbox 360 users, but its price has left many thinking and rethinking about the actual benefits of its purchase.

If you’re still thinking about getting one or not, here’s a bit of info worth knowing about the Kinect: it works with Windows.

On June 7, 2011, Microsoft released a non-commercial Kinect Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows 7, with intentions to release a commercial version to further the “Kinect Effect”. This means that support for Kinect and Windows is an on-the rise possibility, one that calls for newer heights in the navigation and control options for Windows PCs.

Though active development around the integration, synthesis and applications for Kinect and Windows is ongoing, this little Kinect factoid is worthy of mention, given the enhanced navigation/control possibilities it promises for computers, along with Xbox 360 gaming consoles.

So what do you think? Not only will you be playing games hands-free with the Kinect, the possibility of hands-free Windows navigation is also looming on the works.

Is this possibility enough to bring you to buy one?

Product Features

• Full speed professional gaming keyboard for MMO/RTS gamers
• Up to 18 macro keys assignment
• Full color 16 million pulsating RGB backlight with 3 levels of brightness and speed
• Designed with up to 18 anti-ghost keys
• 6 easy access media keys
• Blue LED power indicator
• 2 USB ports for additional peripheral connections
• On-board memory to prevent command block
• MSRP: US$99.90

Genius Releases Fully Customizable Gaming Keyboard for the GX Gaming Series in USA/Canada

Imperator Pro – A Personalized Experienced for the Competitive Advantage

February 29, 2012, Taipei, Taiwan – Genius, a leading maker of computer peripherals, today announces the Imperator Pro, a professional gaming keyboard for MMO/RTS gamers. The newest addition to the GX Gaming Series, the Imperator Pro allows gamers to personalize their gaming experience and give them the tactical advantage in the midst of battle.

The Imperator Pro’s 6 programmable macro keys under 3 game profiles allows gamers to assign up to 18 macros – giving users the ability to cast spells or specialized commands in a single keystroke. The fully customizable 16 million RGB backlight with three levels of brightness aids gamers under low light conditions, ensuring they never miss a key in the dark. To further enhance the gaming ambiance, the Imperator Pro also features a pulsating mode with three speed settings: slow, medium and fast. Both the backlight and pulsating functions can be easily disabled, if desired.

When switched to gaming mode, the windows key is deactivated making sure gameplay is not unexpectedly interrupted. The Imperator Pro is designed to have up to 18 anti-ghost keys. Additionally, the on-board memory prevents command block.

When not gaming, users can take advantage of the six easy access media keys for simple control of movies, videos and audio. The Imperator Pro has an optimal 3.8mm key travel distance resulting in perfect elasticity. During long gaming sessions, the palm rest support helps gamers stay comfortable.

Smooth, stable connections are guaranteed with the GX Gaming Series Imperator Pro. The durable braided cable with an anti-corrosive gold-plated USB jack ensures long-lasting, high quality connections. The Imperator Pro even gives gamers more places to plug in their USB-powered peripherals with its 2 built-in USB ports.

Package Contents

• Imperator Pro wired keyboard with 1.8m(6 feet) cable
• Imperator Pro CD driver
• Multi-language quick guide

System Requirements

• Windows 7/Vista/XP
• Available USB port
• At least 35MB of hard disk space

Imperator Pro

Product photos and detailed specs are available at:

http://www.geniusnet.com/wSite/ct?xItem=51777&ctNode=3606&mp=1

Complete GX Gaming Series products available at:

http://www.geniusnet.com/wSite/np?ctNode=3603&mp=1

About Genius

Genius is a leading international brand in computer peripherals. Established by KYE Systems Corp. in 1983, Genius offers PC products including computer mice, keyboards, web and security cameras, speakers, gaming peripherals, remote controls, headphones, digital cameras, digital camcorders and digital photo frames. The Genius consumer electronics range includes mobile phone accessories, Bluetooth headsets and iPod speakers. For six consecutive years, beginning in 2005, Genius was recognized as one of Taiwan’s Top 20 Global Brands. For more information, you can visit the Genius website at www.geniusnet.com.

It’s a well known fact that the Playstation 3 (PS3) is more than just a stellar gaming console.

Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment, the PS3 also doubles as a multimedia entertainment powerhouse, highlighting built-in playback and storage features for digital media content, internet connectivity capabilities, and support for Blu-Ray optical media standards.

But for all of its featured multimedia plus factors, many PS3 owners feel restricted with the PS3’s out-of-the-box control/navigation devices.

This is where Logitech’s Cordless Media Board shines, a versatile wireless multimedia keyboard that is made to complement and complete your Playstation experience.

Logitech’s Cordless Media Board – A Quick Glance

Powered by two AA batteries, Logitech’s Cordless Media Board implements wireless Bluetooth connection standards in its operation, giving users more freedom when it is in use.

Slim and lightweight, the media board boasts an integrated touchpad which comes with a scroll up/down feature, perfect for browsing through music or movie collections, or any other archived digital content.

Its “quick media keys” gives users one-button access to different menus, from control panels to media playback menus, as well as arms users with real time media controls to play, pause or skip movies or tunes.

For web browsing, the Media Board negates the need for third party pointing devices – given its built-in touchpad – and as a keyboard, internet experiences are made more at home, reinforcing the keyboard-inclined needs associated with web browsing.

With a 30 feet working range, Logitech’s Cordless Media Board runs for over 200 hours with its two AA batteries. Its glossy black finish fits well with the PS3’s design directives, making it a visually sleek addition to your home entertainment system.

If you feel that there’s something lacking with your PS3′s bundled controllers, Logitech’s Cordless Media Board has great news for you.

After nearly 2 years after Starcraft 2 Wings of Liberty has been released, the much awaited following to the Starcraft 2 Saga is now available! At least for PRE-ORDER through Amazon.com.

It has a price tag of $39.99 and it ships FREE with the site’s Super Saver Shipping. That’s around $10 lesser than the first installment but hopefully, it will pack enough change to hopefully bring more variety in the Protoss game play specifically in the “raiding department” since this is non-existent at the game’s current state relative to the other races where 12 speed lings or 1 medivac full of bio can obliterate an enemy base more efficiently than anything a Protoss can throw at the same price range.

Keeping my fingers crossed! Order yours now!

Cologne, February 29, 2012 – On March 6 – 10, CeBIT trade fair (Hanover, Germany) will once again host the final event of one of the most prominent eSports leagues in the world – the Intel Extreme Masters World Championship. It will also be a starting point of the co-operation between the league and the world’s largest video game broadcasting platform, TwitchTV, which from that day will play the role of the official Intel Extreme Masters’ partner. The event at CeBIT will feature around 144 world’s best players competing for the title of the world champion and a share of 283,000 US Dollar. TwitchTV will offer these modern gladiators a serene place to rest and gather their strength in between the matches.

The TwitchTV Champions Lounge will be a great relaxing area for the players participating in the tournament as well as the online press representatives covering the event. Apart from the comfortable seating the lounge will also offer PCs and TV screens with the live ESL TV streams of the Intel Extreme Masters World Championship competition. Complimentary refreshments and snacks will also be provided.

“It’s great to be able to make improvements from season to season. The TwitchTV Champions Lounge is one such improvement. It’s thanks to partners like TwitchTV that understand eSports as well as the needs of the gamers,” said Michal Blicharz, the Director of Pro Gaming at Turtle Entertainment.

“We are excited to offer the players and teams an area for downtime in-between the excitement of the gameplay,” states James Harding, TwitchTV’s European eSports Manager. “The Intel Extreme Masters players are true athletes and TwitchTV is committed to treating them as the superstars they are,” he adds.

The Intel Extreme Masters World Championship will be the grand finale of the 2011/12 season of the league. After Global Challenges in Cologne (Germany), Guangzhou (China), New York (US), Kiev (Ukraine) and Sao Paulo (Brazil), the new eSports Champions of the World will be determined at CeBIT 2012. Throughout the entire season the best pro-gamers from Europe, Asia, Australia and both Americas were fighting for their share of the 643,000 US Dollars – world’s highest prize money for an international league for computer games. The disciplines of the competition are Counter-Strike 1.6, StarCraft II and League of Legends.

Intel Extreme Masters
The Intel® Extreme Masters is the global league of video game champions since 2006. The league arranges the hardest and most popular competitions in Counter-Strike 1.6, StarCraft II and League of Legends. eSports champions from Europe, Asia and America struggle for 643,000 USD in prize money – the most lucrative prize purse globally. Live tournaments at the world’s largest IT and gaming conventions feature the top performers of the season – global stars in eSports. The 2011/12 season will have its exciting final at CeBIT 2012 in Germany, finding the top teams and players in the Intel® Extreme Masters World Championship. ESL TV, ESL’s web TV service, presents the best games of the season live and reports directly from the offline events. Further information available at: www.intelextrememasters.com

TwitchTV
TwitchTV is the world’s best video game broadcasting network. Every month, 16 million gamers gather on TwitchTV to watch and interact with each other and with the games they love. TwitchTV’s propriety video delivery platform and infrastructure form the backbone of a distribution network for video game broadcasters including pro players, tournaments, leagues, developers and other gaming media organizations. TwitchTV is leading a revolution in gaming culture, turning gameplay into an immersive media experience. Learn more at http://www.twitch.tv.

Intel Corporation
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and blogs.intel.com.

Electronic Sports League
The Electronic Sports League (ESL) is the largest and most important league for gamers in Europe consisting of more than 3,400,000 million registered members and more than 800,000 registered teams. ESL is operated by the company Turtle Entertainment GmbH since 2000 and offers more than 3,500 professional leagues and amateur ladders from a variety of games. Nearly 400.000 matches per month are being played worldwide using the ESL technology. The ESL website currently reaches above 1,6 million unique visitors a month and about 35.000 new players register every month.
Further information: www.esl.eu

Contact:
Turtle Entertainment GmbH
Press office
Ibrahim Mazari
Siegburger Straße 189
50679 Cologne
Tel. +49 221 880449-231
Cell +49 163 5196461
Fax. +49 221 880449-239
www.turtle-entertainment.com
presse@turtle-entertainment.com

Famed for its line of wireless and wired audio systems for game consoles and PCs, enhanced gaming headsets, mixamps, gear bags and more, Astro develops premium video gaming equipment which don’t only enhance gameplay experiences, but also complement the lifestyles and expectations of professional gamers.

Founded by Brett Lovelady, Astro’s inaugural product line has made waves in pro gaming circuits, with the Astro A40 Gaming Headset garnering a number of accolades, including being dubbed as the Official Headset of Major League Gaming.

Here’s a quick look at Astro’s A40 Pro Gaming Headset.

A40 – The “Gold Standard” for Gaming Audio

Tuned specifically for professional gaming, the A40 has held the Official Headset of Major League Gaming title for four years, a mainstay item often seen in major gaming tournaments and/or exhibitions.

As such, no other headset can claim more tournament wins than Astro’s A40, which comes with noise canceling features (microphone), enhanced comfort features and superior customization/configuration standards.

Rich positional audio detail experiences come naturally with the A40, which delivers audio as intended by game developers. Primarily designed for long term wear, the A40 boats unmatched comfort factors, while its uni-directional and electrically grounded microphone isolates voices, prioritizing a wearer’s comms and negating background sounds as irrelevant noise.

Gamers could easily adjust the A40’s microphone position to suit their likes, and with Astro’s patent-pending customizable Speaker Tags, players can add bits of themselves onto the A40.

The A40 is also a multiplatform headset, configurable to work with Mac or Windows machines, as well as with iPads, iPhones, Smartphones, PSP’s or 3DS portables. For Playstation 3’s or Xbox 360 consoles, rigging the A40 with Astro’s MixAmp transforms it to the ideal headset for gaming consoles.

With its track record and reputation for dynamic gaming enhanced audio delivery, the A40 is a must have item for professional gamers, perfectly sating gaming audio needs and demands.

Team Curse	against All authority
Mono eSports	V8esports

other teams competing for IPL

Team SoloMid	Counter Logic Gaming
Dignitas	Epik Gaming

See Match-up results here.

Substantial as home entertainment investments, not everyone is at a financial capacity to get every gaming console there is, leaving different game console points as decision variables which define which is the most ideal to have.

Oftentimes, game console controllers are seen as key points which professional and hobbyist gamers look into, apart from the availability of game title options, game genre types and enhanced support for multi-player games and gaming sessions.

Here’s a quick comparative look at the Playstation 3’s Playstation Move and the Wii’s Wii Motion Plus, add-on wireless game controllers which bear a lot of similarities with each other, offered by two of the game console arena’s biggest industry players.

The Wii Motion Plus by Nintendo – introduced as an add-on accessory for Nintendo’s Wii, the Wii Motion Plus is geared for enhanced and accurate motion detection, incorporating single axis and dual axis turning fork gyroscope support for better rotational movement detection.

Developed by Nintendo in collaboration with AiLive, the Wii Motion Plus can be rigged to work simultaneously with other controllers present (like the Wii Classic Controller or Wii Nunchuk), and is essentially designed to work at its fullest with games designed for its use.

It can still function with other Wii game titles, but it offers no enhanced gameplay experience or add-on functionality over Classic Wii Controllers and Classic Wii games. It highlights games from different developers like Artoon, Atari, and Ubisoft, developers known to produce games designed for the Wii Motion Plus.

The Playstation Move by Sony – based on the Wii’s famed Classic Controller, the Playstation Move works with Playstation 3 units, maximizing the Playstation Eye’s camera in detecting the player’s (and controller’s) position, while interacting with the Playstation console through integrated sensors and wireless connections.

Using wireless Bluetooth technology, up to four Playstation Move controllers can be used at one time, and as an add-on accessory, its can be purchased in bundle terms, such as controller plus games packages, Playstation 3 unit plus controller packages, or Playstation Move controller with Dual Shock Controller packages.

With 36 third-party developers of games for the Playstation Move, the controller has won a number of positive reviews and awards, including “Most Immersive Game Controller” by Popular Science in 2010.

Given the upsides over the other, it can be said that the Playstation Move boasts more benefits over Wii’s Motion Plus. With more game title options, more options for controller/user expansion, and with smartly packaged purchase options, the Playstation Move wins a number of points over Nintendo’s Wii Motion Plus, save one: price.

The Playstation Move costs more than the Wii Motion Plus, and as individual game consoles, the Playstation 3 console itself costs more compared to the Wii.

It brings to point out one of the oldest arguments between the Playstation and Wii, that is, Wii’s are simple, less costly gaming consoles, while Playstations are more packed with features yet come with higher price tags.

Anyone with a Playstation Move or a Wii Motion Plus out there?

Drop by the comments section and have your say about your favored game console controller.

With the strong influx of flat panel LCD and LED monitors into the market, the debates and arguments between old school CRT and flat panels for gaming is as good as dead.

But as with the way of endings and beginnings, new points for discussions and debates have risen when for-gaming flat screens are being talked about, giving birth to all sorts of questions and considerations when one is out to get a gaming-enhanced flat screen.

Which brand is better? Which model is better? Which brand-model combination brings more bang to one’s buck?

If you’re asking these questions, here are some pointers worth looking into when you’re set and revving up to get your gaming flat panel.

For great colors – look up on a prospect flat panel’s IPS (In-Plane Switching technology) rating. 8 bit flat panels prove to be perfect, but if you’re tight with your budget, a 6 bit can easily deliver crisp and clear colors.

Response Time – this one’s not mind boggling to figure out. The faster a flat panel’s response time, the better it is for gaming.

IPS Types – when talking about IPS, the convention tiers are e-IPS (6 bit) and h-IPS, s-IPS and p-IPS (8 bit). As mentioned, 8 bit flat screens tend to be more expensive than 6 bit, but a number of 6 bit flat screens are known to deliver almost the same quality with their 8 bit counterparts.

Viewing Angle – between IPS conventions, e-IPS panels already offer an enhanced view angle clarity variable for users, with color shifts nearly unnoticeable when shifting viewing angles.

LED VS LCD – the delivery aspect of LEDs and LCDs aren’t really that different, only that LED flat panels consume lesser power compared to LCDs.

Dell, Samsung and ViewSonic are known for quality flat panels, offering quality e-IPS flat panels in reasonable rates.

If you know of other brands out there, or any specific models which are worthy of mentions, drop your comments below.

It’d surely help the many who are certainly confused with which gaming flat panel to get.

Capcom’s Street Fighter franchise can be likened to what Windows XP is to Microsoft.

Both are old and both are still up and about.

Both sparked new conventions and standards when they first came out, and both have become closely-linked with their developers, even branding them with their products.

Both have stood against the test of obsolesce, and even with the years after their first release, they still grab the attention of old and new fans alike.

But unlike Microsoft, Capcom continues to acknowledge the contributions and impact of Street Fighter in the gaming arena by consistently rewarding loyal and new followers with refreshed Street Fighter versions, while focused on the development and release of other, newer, and engaging titles.

With big plans in line with Street Fighter’s 25th Anniversary this year, a year-long Street Fighter tournament is on the works, as shared by Brett Elston at Capcom-Unity. With $500,000 in prizes in store for entrants, the tournament is set on highlighting classic Street Fighter games, as well as new versions such as Street Fighter X Tekken.

Capcom’s treatment of Street Fighter’s 25th birthday differs a lot from Microsoft’s handling of Windows XP’s 10th year, which happened last year.

Though it has to be said that there’s a huge difference with how things work in the operating system and the gaming industry, it can be said that Microsoft hasn’t exactly been all that happy with XP’s longevity, strongly pushing for its newer operating systems, denying XP new functionality features and add-ons.

Unlike Microsoft, Capcom is treating Street Fighter right, not quick to label it as old, telling people to forget about it and just get whatever is new. Unlike Microsoft, Capcom celebrates the old so as to let everyone know where the new came from.

What say you? Think Microsoft could’ve done Windows XP better by following Capcom’s example?

Last month, Rovio’s Chief Executive raised thought balloons over the heads of electronic consumers and developers, saying: “Piracy may not be a bad thing: it can get us more business at the end of the day.”

Shared during the Midem Conference in Cannes, one would think that the creator of Angry Birds would take a more hostile tone towards piracy, given that the Angry Birds brand is one of the world’s most highly pirated entities, from Angry Birds games, Angry Birds merchandise and Angry Birds apparel.

“We have some issues with piracy, not only in apps, but also in consumer products.” shared Mikael Hed – Chief Executive, Rovio. “There are tons and tons of merchandise out there, especially in Asia, which are not officially licensed products. We could learn a lot from the music industry, and the rather terrible ways it has tried to combat piracy.” he added.

As a paradigm shift in the area of digital entertainment, production and distribution is undeniably ongoing, the fight against piracy is on top of producers’ and developers’ minds.

Rovio, however, believes that filing lawsuits against perpetrators isn’t the most efficient way of fighting against pirates, taking lessons from how the music industry has dealt with the situation. Instead of treating customers as users, more prospects and advantages can be found in treating them as fans and solidifying fanbases.

“If we lose that fanbase, our business is done, but if we can grow that fanbase, our business will grow.” Hed commented.

In the implementation of its “fanbase philiosophy”, Rovio is more inclined to treat its apps as channels, avenues where they can cross-promote and/or sell further content, reaching a broad audience.

With Angry Birds playing sessions reportedly competing against the time spent on watching TV shows (based on US-based statistics), the theoretic principle behind the “fanbase philosophy” does have some merit for further promotions and/or purchases. For games, it could mean in-game item promotions, or advertorials related to an offered service.

Endorsing a different view over established conventions, Rovio’s idea is: content itself has now become channels, as the old-school distribution channels are no longer the kingmakers of today.

What do you think? Has Rovio found the best answer against piracy? Or should it just sue every pirate out there?

Genius recently made waves with the launch of its latest professional gaming mouse – the DeathTaker.

Designed with professional gamers in mind, the DeathTaker is perfectly matched to work with and for MMORPG/RTS games and players, built around control and function-related needs and not around specifications and features.

Boasting a 1 millisecond response time advantage, the 9-buttoned gaming mouse is highly customizable in terms of software and hardware conventions, allowing for enhanced gaming performance and experiences.

Sporting an on-board memory chip, users can easily store gaming settings and macros into the DeathTaker, and with the device’s Scorpion UI, users can easily setup button assignments, manage saved macro data, and more.

With a built-in over-clocking SCGii engine, users can also easily set the DeathTaker’s DPI rate within a range between 100 to 5700 DPI. Its X and Y axis pitches can also be configured and adjusted to suit gaming demands, a nifty and intuitive customization feature that will surely come in handy in tight spots during intense gaming sessions.

In terms of form and body, the DeathTaker boasts a stellar hand-grip design, and comes with six detachable/attachable weights, with each weighing 4.6 grams, which allows users the option to rig it to weigh as much, or as less, as personal preferences would deem as ideal.

With a braided cable and gold-plated USB connector, the DeathTaker ensures solid and stable signal connection between the gaming mouse and PC, allowing gamers to focus on challenging conquests, and not to fuss with anything else.

With its price tagged at $80, the DeathTaker is part of Genius’ GX Gaming Mouse Series, a gaming mouse that simply delivers the best of gaming experiences any gamer would want.

From the latest touch screen media players to the newest touch screen mobile handhelds, the “touch revolution” has undeniably spilled into different electronic product lines, primarily in the arena of computer accessories and human input/interface devices (HID).

The Logitech Touch Mouse M600 is one of the latest.

Scheduled for release this February, the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 is made for users who’ve become accustomed with the interactive touch screen interface and operability of tablets, mobiles and/or handhelds.

Think of the device as a PC mouse – a Logitech mainstay product – which highlights interactive “touch” operation benefits for users, allowing users to do page flips and page scrolls with their fingers using a mouse.

Powered by a single AA battery, the M600 can run on battery power for three months, and users can optionally store an additional AA battery for extended use. Implementing its propriety Flow Scroll software, the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 works with Windows 7 computers, with previous Windows operating systems left unsupported.

Microsoft launched something similar in 2010 with the Explorer Touch Mouse and Arc Touch Mouse. This year, keying on Microsoft’s previous success with its Arc Touch Mouse and Explorer Touch Mouse, Logitech is following suit.

It’s difficult to see how Logitech’s Touch Mouse M600 would fare once its out in the market.

But given the versatile nature of personal computer systems and programs, it’s not difficult to see this “touch” angle as an on-the-rise standard which new adventures in computer operation and control can be built on.

Picture yourself playing a game with a gamepad in your hands. Now edit that image, this time, picture yourself playing a game using a “touch” mouse.

Is this the birth of a new gaming standard for PC systems? Will new wireless standards allow interaction between gaming consoles and a similar device?

It may sound far fetched, but you have to admit, there’s an appeal to it, don’t you think?

We’ve all seen the cries of loss and victory during last year’s intense DOTA2 invitational Grand Finals tournament.

Among the sixteen, it all came down to top eight contenders starting with Ukraine’s Na’vi. Having seen its contemporary White-Ra from StarCraft, I can say pretty much their nationality has a reputation for being fast in taking down their opponent.

Amazing game play, quit witted strategies, super fast executions along with good team work ended their game against China’s EHOME in just a short span of time, pushing the Chinese clan to second place. Not too bad, because they still received two hundred fifty thousand dollars. That’s already big enough.

They were followed by Scythe.SG from Singapore who collected a hundred fifty grand. MyM, a group formed from different nationalities (four from Denmark, one from USA and Korea) landed fourth place with eighty thousand dollars. Russia trailed the multi-national group with thirty five thousand.

Another chinese competitor, iG followed them in 6th place, collecting the same amount while another team of mixed nationalities, OK.Nirvana.Int, went to 7th and garnered twenty five racks.

The bottom two consisted of Thailand (MiTh-Trust) which garnered about the same amount as OK.Nirvana, and the Philippines’ Minesky who was only able to defeat iG.

Talks of another upcoming event this year has been confirmed by “The International” organizer “moose” Zimmerman, affirming that the new location will be held in Seattle, Washington, USA. However, the specific date is still yet to be set. The first international was held in August seventeen to twenty one in Cologne, Germany.

In the upcoming International 2, will Ukraine still be able to defend its place, or will we see losers rise for revenge and redemption?

Professional Gaming is a rival play of video games. It is also known as electronic or e-sports which roots to arcade games in the 1980s until it moved from the PC to the internet. The games usually played are first person shooters or FPS, real time strategy massively multiplayer online (MMOG) and racing

Annually, big tech companies like benq for example, give away million dollar price pool for the winner of major tournaments like the Major League Gaming, World Cyber Games, Global StarCraft League, Global StarCraft Team (GSTL) League and Dream Hack. Players from all over the world gather to compete in these major events, while arenas are filled with spectators cheering their favorite clan.

Major sports games include the Broodwar or StarCraft I and II, Counter Strike, The Street Fighter Series, Halo, Fifa and Quake 4. Gaming professionally is considered to be a legitimate career in countries like Korea. Professional gamers there are paid hefty salaries (often amounting to five hundred US dollars), as well as popularity by commercials. These gamers are seen as celebrities in their own country.

Most often these players compete together with their respective teams.

Despite its presence in over a decade, pro gaming still has not been fully recognized as a sport in other countries (except for Korea of course)

This is a goal that many gamers are aiming to happen. In a forum, many are planning to put their idols in the gaming scene (such a Incontrol, Artosis and Day9) on mainstream television in the hopes of shedding light to questions that the sport still carries, and prove that there is as much sponsorship, money and competition in the industry as much as with regular physical sports.

But if we remember Dan Stemkoski’s dream come true in successfully introducing StarCraft and esports to our part of the world, the west, then the dream may not be so far from coming true.

Product Highlights

• Virtual 7.1 surround sound
• On/off vibration feature
• Foldable unidirectional microphone
• On-ear volume control
• Rotational uni-directional microphone with mute option
• Blue LED power indicator
• Durable anti-corrosive gold-plated USB jack
• MSRP: US$79.90

Press Release archive and images:
http://www.globalpr.com.tw/press-room/genius/
Find GlobalPR announcements on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/globalpr

Genius Reveals New Virtual 7.1 Channel Vibrating Headset for the GX Gaming Series

Cavimanus Gaming Headset – Rumbling and Shaking to Every Step on the Battlefield

February 15, 2012, Taipei, Taiwan – Genius, a leading maker of computer peripheral, announces their newest addition to their GX Gaming Series today – HS-G700V Cavimanus Virtual 7.1 Channel Gaming Headset.

For gamers who want the full gaming experience, the Cavimanus Virtual 7.1 Channel Gaming Headset allows gamers to pinpoint every step on the battlefield. Letting you hear the enemy before they see you, the Cavimanus gives gamers detailed surround sound audio without disturbing the neighbors.

Adding another dimension, the GX Series Cavimanus complements the rich audio with its vibration function. If not wanted, the vibration function can be simply turned on and off in-game with a press of a button. Just as easily the master volume can be tweaked at anytime using the on-ear volume control.

The uni-directional microphone captures your voice while keeping out unwanted background noise. When no chatting is necessary, it can be automatically switched off by simply folding it into the upright position.

Smooth, stable connections are guaranteed with the GX Series Cavimanus headset. The anti-corrosive gold-plated USB jack ensures long-lasting, high quality connections. And with an adjustable headband, the Cavimanus provides a complete surround sound experience for any gamer.

Package Contents

• Cavimanus headset
• Driver disc
• Multi-language user’s manual

Technical Specifications:

Headset

• Driver unit dimensions: 40mm
• Frequency response: 20Hz~20KHz
• Impedance: 32ohm
• Sensitivity: 96dB
• Cable length: 2.5 meters

Microphone

• Sensitivity: -39+/-3 dB
• Uni-directional
• Frequency response: 100Hz~10KH

Product information and photos are available at:
http://www.geniusnet.com/wSite/ct?xItem=51781&ctNode=3608&mp=1
Complete GX Gaming Series available at:
http://www.geniusnet.com/wSite/np?ctNode=3603&mp=1
Check out the GX Gaming Series YouTube Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtUph8XmPzY

About Genius

Good news for all you DOTA fanatics.

Erik Johnson, the project manager at Valve Corporation, has revealed to PC Gamer that DOTA 2 will have the much needed LAN support that every pro-gamer needs. For those that don’t know, LAN (or Local Area Networking, a way to connect PC’s to each other) is an integral part of multiplayer competitive gaming. A more recent trend for newer games is to utilize online connections to facilitate matches, which then depend on the quality of the connections to have those matches play flawlessly. When those connections are overloaded, matches have to stop just so the connection can stabilize. And while many newer and popular games have dropped LAN support (StarCraft II, for example), a majority of games still have it as an option (such as the Call Of Duty series).

Though, implementation of the LAN support and the systems that require it isn’t finished right now, “…mainly because we’ve been focused on matchmaking. We know how important this feature is for the community…” says Johnson.

It’s nice to know that Valve is truly supporting DOTA and the scene surrounding it.

In other news, Valve are also planning more tourneys in the size of The International, which was featured a while ago to showcase the game and their support of the DOTA pro-gaming scene. These future tournaments will be sponsored by Valve, and surprisingly, all travel costs/expenses for the teams who are invited will be completely furnished by Valve (which is also what happened to the teams invited for the first International Tourney). To gain an invite, Johnson says that  pro-gamers should “play in Dota tournaments and perform well. We’ve all been watching every tournament that we find internally, looking for what teams we think should be invited.”. With a prize pool that is estimated to be “$1.6 Million Dollars“, the next International Tournament is set to be hosted in Seattle, Washington, close to where Valve is headquartered.

Han Yi Ying, AKA “MisS”, a former Warcraft 3 pro-gamer and a popular gaming TV host in China, decides to follow her dream of living the life of a pro-gamer by signing with StarTale. She becomes the first female foreigner to be signed by a Korean professional gaming team and is StarTale’s second Starcraft 2 female pro-gamer along with StarTale Aphrodite.

In a TeamLiquid translation from ThisGame, it appears that StarTale.Rainbow’s “mission” when he went to the ZOWIE DIVINA female Starcraft 2 tournament last year wasn’t just to support his girlfriend Aphrodite (eventual winner of the said event). The former also had an “under the table” motive and that being to test the skills of a female e-sports TV host which back then, they only knew as “being a very popular TV host”.

And a test MiSs got and to her ecstasy, she passed. And with that, this she said, “Lots of people told me that I am stupid for giving up my job as a tv hostess to become a computer player, but how often do you get a chance to follow your dream?” said Yiying ”miss” Han, “When I got informed of this test to become a member of StarTale I was really nervous, just to get the opportunity is a dream come true. When I was told I could become a part of StarTale, it was the happiest day of my life, I still can’t believe it! I will do my best every day, in every game. This is my dream come true.”

Will she be another solid contender in the fierce world of Starcraft 2 pro-gaming? Or will she be just another flower among the thorns like Linda “Pikachu” Liao? What do you think?

Flo competitively played Counter-Strike for two to three years before switching to StarCraft2 In 2010. She joined the SC2goesFemale#4 competition in December and won second place. She later took home the bacon in its next season, SC2goesFemale#5 in 2011. She also bagged the Iron Lady Bunny Cup #1 in July. Flo was part of three Major League Games and got major exposure when she got head to head with White-Ra, a Ukrainian Brood War Legend famous for beating his opponent in minutes.

Flo is famous for winning female tournaments. In the recent Zowie Divina, she was invited to play in China and managed a 4-1 record. She also became part of female teams like PMS but later left to join more competitive teams like Quantum Gaming.

In a recent interview by the clan, Flo shares her insight on how gender plays in an industry overshadowed by the males.

When asked about how she felt on female only teams, she shared the sad truth that most female teams are only marketing schemes. And because most of them play only low levels, they are taken lightly.

She said, “a female gamer cannot avoid the fact that marketability will most of the time be a factor to everything she does.” Female gamers will have to accept this harsh reality. If they will be taken seriously, then that’s where the challenge begins.

She also voiced her opinion on how these female tournaments do not help train those who dream to become a pro. She says that unless “they practice with skilled people, they won’t improve” and it will be “a waste of time if they want to take it seriously.”

Progression is her main reason into entering quantum gaming. She wants to able to get competitive practice partners that are not solely on the female division.

Her counterparts, Naniwa and Destiny who are also from quantum gaming, are already in training in South Korea. Flo invites more females to join the bandwagon of pros in the hopes of changing the paradigm on female gamers in the male-dominated industry.

The Philippine’s Gigabyte GEST representative, Mineski Powercolor, showcased their DOTA skills to bring home bragging rights and the first among twelve $1,500 pay checks on the ongoing league.

Mineski didn’t even break a sweat regardless if they have been overplaying in various tournaments over the weekend. They enjoyed their spot on the winner’s bracket all throughout this leg up until breezing through their 25 minute championship match against Vietnam’s ace, StarsBoba. Did you see Tiny’s rampage on the championship match?! You SHOULD!

Luckily, everyone tuned in to the event had their DOTA fix courtesy of the fight for 2nd and 3rd featuring StarsBoba, and Thailand’s Trust. StarsBoba showed why they were the ones who faced Mineski on the finals by winning against Trust on their series to take home $700 while the latter settled for $300.

Summary:
1st = Mineski with $1,500
2nd = StarsBoba with $700
3rd = Trust with $300

GEST GRAND FINAL Lanes:
Sentinel
Mski_wtz_PColor (Jungle)
Mski_Jay_PColor (Mid)
Mski_RR_PColor (Bot)
Mski_JuLzPColor (Top)
Mski_owa_PColor (Bot)
Scourge
SB_Archie (Jungle)
SB_Recca (Jungle)
SB_David21 (Bot)
SB_Yuna (Top)
SB_Batteu (Mid)

Also noteworthy are the participants of this league with names such as; Orange, MYM, and AEON.

E-gaming, or electronic gaming is widely popular among gamers and techie people. They’re the coolest job a gamer could ever land – hefty pay contracts, major commercial events, television exposure. A pro gamer would be paid up to five hundred US dollars every year. This is because the country has made e-gaming as a legitimate career.

StarCraft became a gaming pastime for Koreans when there was a major embargo of console games from Japan in the late nineties. It did not take long until it became the national sport next to soccer and baseball.

Prize money given to the successful competitor often amounts to hundreds of U.S. dollars. The annual event is supported by corporate giants, gaming and tech companies.

The nation became the host of the first StarCraft 1 World Cyber Games Battle in the last year of the 1990s and had attracted enthusiasts and hard core players alike from around the world. A French-Canadian named Guillaume Patry took home the bacon.

The success in e-gaming is what brought players from other countries like the United States to the gaming capital. Two of those people were Nick “Tasteless” Plott and Dan Stemkoski. The two were professional StarCraft gamers in their native country. In 2007, they made the decision to move to Korea. Quoting Dan, moving to Korea was every StarCraft player’s dream.

However, they did not choose to be part of the players in the country, but to serve as ambassadors to the sport instead. The game was not popular in other western countries, so they dreamed of introducing the esport to the west.

They had difficulties in gaining their goals at first. Obstacles like language barrier made it tough to promote the game to the western world. But through much persistent efforts, in five years time, their efforts had paid off. Now big tournaments are held not only in Europe, but in the U.S. and China also.

Warning: Writer is a Protoss user. J

Mules, mules, and more mules! That’s how Terrans can afford 1-1-1s or any other “take the whole scv village to the battlefield” strategies out there. The coming patch hits them first by making them harvest THE SAME AMOUNT OF MINERALS in high yield (yellow) mineral fields. That’s right, Terrans can no longer mass mule and exponentially push a Terran’s advantage in high yield minerals. Of course, this is only considered a nerf on maps that have them attractive yellow mineral fields. So if you’re a pro-gamer participating in the Global Starcraft League (GSL), you can disregard this part.

I for one think them mules should be changed altogether and that this nerf, although acceptable, can be easily disregarded especially in tournaments where the usual setting is a mandatory first map then loser picks the next. A Terran can simply avoid maps with high yield mineral fields. Or wait, Terrans don’t even need to do that. Seriously a rather useless nerf if you ask me.

Why you ask? Well, if you have played and studied Starcraft 2 at least on the Masters level and you play Protoss, you will easily realize that if you’re your 10 more probes just ain’t good enough to overtake a Terran’s income thanks to them mules. Blizzard should seriously think more on how much minerals them mules can give in a given time frame.

Ghosts Snipe Ability Nerf

Long story short, instead of dealing 45 damage per snipe, they now deal 25 HP damage + 25 psionic damage.

To the applause of Zerg users, Brood Lords will now take 10 snipes instead of 6 while Ultralists will have to take around 21 snipes to finally meet the overmind rather than 11 snipes. This after Blizzard’s balance team has noticed that at the pro level, the Zerg’s most powerful units seemed to be quite too easy to “snipe”.

Phoenix Range Upgrade

Protoss users now have the option to upgrade the range of Phoenixes at the Fleet Beacon. After the upgrade, the Phonenix will now enjoy a range of 6 from 4. This will give these ships 2x the range of Mutalisks, the reason why Blizzard came up with the upgrade since it has been too obvious that Blink Stalkers just aren’t as mobile or as powerful as mass mutas in any given map. Don’t even think Archons can do a better job against mass mutas. Unless of course if your still stuck in Brood War where they can own a dozen mutas.

The range upgrade should be interesting however, I personally think the cost and time need to build a Fleet Beacon and to upgrade the range is going to be the best option against them mutas. I bet the time you get the upgrade, it’ll be too little too late and if not, then a Protoss user will be left with too many Phoenixes against dozens of speedlings.

APM and EPM Change

APM will now work like the classic Actions Per Minute (APM) where all clicks (including spam) will be recorded. Effective Actions Per Minute (EPM) will also be an option and it works just like the APM we all know prior to Patch 1.4.3

Conclusion

I think this is still a good direction but for sure I wish there was more but I guess that’ll have to wait for the Heart of the Swarm (HOTS). Do you think the changes will be for the betterment of the game?

INTENSIVE TRAINING WEEKEND TO PREP e-SPORTS ATHLETES FOR THE TOURNAMENT SEASON

Heyo! Day[9] here with a kick ass event announcement.

Red Bull, purveyor of tasty liquid focus, is BACK with the first of five Red Bull LANs in 2012, this time in Orlando on March 16-18. Better still, Red Bull Gaming has invited the Day[9]TV crew to help plan and run the entire SC2 portion of the event. Huzzah!

Given that Day[9]TV is all about being a better gamer, we set about creating a 3 day training curriculum to help the SC2 pros level up their game.

What is a RED BULL LAN?

# Twelve top pro SC2 gamers from some of the biggest SC2 teams on the planet will unite in Orlando at Full Sail University to practice and prepare for the 2012 tournament season.
# Four SC2 invitees will be the “Focus Players” for the event. The LAN will explore their personalities, their personal stories, their strengths and weaknesses, and how they’re training to improve.
# Each Focus Player will have a personalized “Challenge” to help him reach his SC2 goals and address gameplay issues.
# The remaining eight gamers will be “Training Players.” They’ll help the Focus Players in their Challenges as well as train for their own upcoming tournaments.
# The final day will culminate in a mini-tournament to crown the best of the Red Bull LAN: Orlando.

What do i get to see?

# Day[9] and DJWheat commentating with their dash cunning rapport and personal charm.
# Training games from all twelve players.
# Challenges for each of the Focus Players, full of measurable progress and benchmarks.
# Strategy insights that may help you improve your own game.
# On site interviews.
# Bios of the Focus Players—who are they? How did they get where they are?
# The Red Bull LAN final tournament.
# Your questions answered by the pros live on the stream.
# Funday Monday with the pros. I’m not kidding. Team Monobattles anyone?

How can i participate?

Start chatting about it right here! This clinic is for YOU as well as for the pros. We want to hear all your ideas for this event and future Red Bull LANs. Who do you think the invited twelve should be? What do you think each Focus Player needs to work on? How would YOU design a challenge? What types of practice games would you like to see? What sorts of strategies do you struggle with?

Be sure to ask questions via twitter (@RedBullGaming) and the stream chat! As mentioned above, we’ll be taking your questions to the pros throughout the event. Ever wanted to know why your favorite streamer always does that one zany strat? The Red Bull LAN gives you a chance to find out why

Fore More Details : Here

The Lone Star Clash: Gauntlet of Champions aims to bring together two huge e-sports demographics in a way that has never been done before. There will be two parallel brackets: the Collegiate StarLeague Southern Regional Playoff Qualifier event and a 16-person pro-player invitational event. We hope to foster the growth of the e-sports scene by bringing together the relentless passion of the collegiate gaming community and the unparalleled following of the professional world.

The Texas e-Sports Association, Quantic Gaming, and Cyber Sports Network are proud to offer a staggering prize pool of $10,000 for the professional invitational. The collegiate bracket will offer a prize pool of $1,500. On top of this, a multitude of quality prizes and products will be given away through raffles, contests, and completion of real-life achievements, both in-person AND online. The event will also feature additional open fighting game style tournaments for four titles with separate prize pools.

General Information
Dates: March 17-18, 2012
Location: University of Texas at Austin campus (SAC Building)

Professional Invitational
Players: 16 of the world’s top StarCraft II players
Prize Pool: $10,000
Prize Pool Distribution: $5000 / $3000 / $1500 / $500
Bracket Format: Double Elimination Round of 16 Bracket
Match Format: Best of 3 format

Collegiate StarLeague Bracket
Players: Up to 20 collegiate teams from the top universities in the region
Prize Pool: $1,500 + Spot in Collegiate StarLeague Playoff Bracket
Bracket Format: Pool Play into Single Elimination Round of 8 Bracket
Match Format: Standard CSL BO5 format: 1v1 -> 1v1 -> 2v2 -> 1v1 -> Ace 1v1 (if necessary)

Venue Address
Student Activities Center
2201 Speedway
Austin, TX 78712

Fore more Details : Here

Teams and Players

ACE

Director: Song Dong Gyun
Coach: Kim Nam Ki
Playing coach: Rock
Captain: Ggaemo
Players:
(P)Rock
(P)M18M
(P)Kal
(T)firebathero
(T)Iris
(T)PianO
(T)Canata
(Z)ggaemo
(Z)Peace
(Z)Orion
(Z)Chavi
(Z)great

Samsung Khan

Director: January
Coach: Choi Woo Beom
Coach Oh Sang Taek
Coach: (Z)oDin
Captain: Stork
Players:
(P)Stork
(P)JangBi
(P)Brave
(P)Grape
(T)TurN
(T)Reality
(T)Sharp
(Z)Juni
(Z)RorO
(Z)ByuL
(Z)Shine

Woongjin Stars

Director: Lee Jae Gyun
Coach: Son Seung Wan
Coach: Lee Hyo Min
Coach: Na Jae Woong
Captain: Light
Players:
(P)GuemChi
(P)Flying
(P)free
(P)BisAnG
(P)sHy
(T)Rudy
(T)Light
(T)hOn_sin
(Z)ZerO
(Z)Woon
(Z)fOKINS
(Z)SoulKey

CJ Entus

Director: Kim Dong Woo
Coach: Lee Jae Hoon
Coach: (P)Nbs
Captain: Leta
Players:
(P)Movie
(P)Horang2
(P)Snow
(T)Leta
(T)sKyHigh
(T)BByong
(T)Rush
(Z)Hydra
(Z)EffOrt
(Z)where
(Z)herO[jOin]

KT Rolster

Director: Lee Ji Hoon
Coach: Kang Do Kyeong
Coach: Kim Sang Hoon
Coach: Kim Yoon Hwan
Captain: Reach
Players:
(P)Reach
(P)Violet
(P)Stats
(P)PerfectMan
(P)Wooki
(T)Flash
(T)BarrackS
(T)Mind
(Z)HoeJJa
(Z)Action
(Z)Crazy-Hydra

SKTelecom T1

Director: Park Yong Woon
Coac: Kwon Oh Hyuk
Coach: Cha Ji Hoon
Captain: s2
Players:
(P)Bisu
(P)BeSt
(P)Paralyze
(P)By.Sun
(T)Fantasy
(T)Ssak
(T)JyJ
(Z)SoO
(Z)Hyuk
(Z)Alone
(Z)Sacsri
(Z)s2

STX Soul

Director: Kim Eun Dong
Coach: Park Jae Seok
Coach: Park Jong Su
Probationary Coach: Choi Won Seok
Captain: Shuttle
Players:
(P)Dear
(P)Shuttle
(P)Trap
(P)mini
(T)Classic
(T)Size
(T)Last
(T)Bogus
(Z)Calm
(Z)Modesty
(Z)hyvaa
(Z)by.hero

Team 8

Director: Joo Hoon
Coach: Han Sang Yong
Captain: Jaehoon
(P)Jaehoon
(P)Tyson
(P)Sang
(T)Sea
(T)Baby
(T)Speed
(Z)Jaedong
(Z)Killer
(Z)Check
(Z)Ryul2